Fear Is A Place To Live
by ClownQween'69
Summary: When playing games with no rules, one is bound to be deceived, cheated, & left lost & confused. Too bad Joker didn't think of this when he created a game out of Kat Megans, his newest object of attention... Joker/OC (Rated M for a reason)
1. I Am The One Who Chose My Path

"C'mon lady! I don't have all night!"

Kat grumbled to herself as she leaned over from the back of the taxi to reach into the pocket on the side of her green cargo pants. She undid the button and reached in for her small wad of cash while in front the bald cabdriver sighed impatiently as his eyes fell to a short man up ahead, waiting on the curb for a taxi. With another annoyed, audible sigh he looked back to Kat in the mirror, his dark and bushy eyebrows raised.

"Keep the change," she mumbled sourly to him as she practically threw him the money before she shoved the door open. She quickly got out, and once she grabbed her dark blue suitcase from the floor of the car and closed the door the cab driver quickly sped down the road just a little bit to pick up the short man. "Asshole," Kat mumbled to herself as she hoisted up her heavy suitcase. All day she had done _nothing_ but deal with grumpy people, and she was getting real sick of it, real fast. She took a deep breath in through her nose as she closed her eyes, trying to calm herself down. She should be happy, if anything, right now. She knew this, but the weight of the anger from her bad day was just to heavy for her to realize that she had _finally_ made it to Gotham city. After nearly a year of wanting to, months of planning and working two jobs to raise enough money for her journey, and finally making that step out the door to drive to the airport, she was here.

She turned around around now from the curb, and she looked up at the big, black building in front of her in wonder. She continued to slowly glance around, taking in the massive, bustling city. Cars flew by, one after the other, on the street next to her, couples and loners walked past her without so much as a glance. Even under the night sky and new moon, the city was still bright, leaving Kat to wonder vaguely what time it was. Suitcase still in hand, she reached into her pocket to draw out her tiny phone. _Nine forty three_, she read, and she slumped her shoulders as she rolled her eyes. Had everything gone to plan today, she would have already met up with her friend, Paige Williams, and would be at her apartment right now, sitting comfortably on the couch with a cup of tea, perhaps. But due to plane delays, rude people, and taxi drivers who didn't seem to know where they were going in their own city, Kat was forced to make a quick change of plans.

She glanced around, wondering if there were any hotels within walking distance of her. She rolled her eyes as she started to walk down the street, noticing that the same taxi she had rode in was still parked at the curb, and she pulled out her phone to begin scrolling through her contact list. She selected Paige's name and held the phone to her ear. "Yeah, it's me. No, I _just _got here... plane got delayed fucking _twice_," Kat spat into the phone, ignoring the glare a woman passing her on the wide sidewalk shot her. "Whatever, look I'm at the corner of..." she trailed off as she strained her eyes to make out the names of the streets on the traffic lights just up ahead. "Main and... Crow... are there any hotels close to here?" She listened as her friend thought, and after a short moment she finally came to answer. "The Night Inn? Sounds supe_rrrr_," Kat said flatly as she picked up her pace to head across the street. "No, it's fine, I'll be fine. Okay I'll see you tomorrow." Kat hung up her phone and placed it in her pocket before she pushed the button for the crosswalk, glancing over at the taxi before the light turned, and she started across.

The walk to The Night Inn was short luckily, for Kat was desperate to place her suitcase down and sleep off her sour mood. With the _motel_ just up ahead, Kat tried hard to ignore its rundown appearance. Kat knew, as it always was, one always started off at the bottom when new to things, so she quickly pressed herself on across another small street and she marched up to the front doors of the motel.

The lobby was small, but seemed clean, and was completely barren except for the lady that sat behind the main desk. She looked at the time before she glanced up at Kat, and she forced a smile. "How may I help you?" She tilted her head as she looked at Kat, waiting.

"I need a room for tonight," Kat said. "I can pay now."

"Okay," the receptionist said as she brought up her forum on the computer. "Name?"

"Kat Megans," she answered in a low, tired voice as she leaned against the desk. She watched as the lady typed in her name, among a few other things.

"Your total comes to fifty-four dollars and sixty nine cents," the lady said. Kat reached into her pocket again, only to find she had one, crinkled ten dollar bill in it. She laid this on the counter before she bent down to rummage through her suitcase to find the small bag that contained the rest of her large sum of money. She counted out the bills and placed them on the counter as well, the lady glaring at her as she unfolded all the bills to place them in the register. She handed Kat her change back without a word, and she stood from her chair to retrieve her key. "You're room eleven," she said. "Have a _wonderful_ night," she added in a false, polite and happy tone. Kat ignored her, grabbed her key, and started towards the only hallway inside the building.

After a short walk, she found room eleven, and she slid her room key into the lock. She pushed the door open, accidentally slamming it behind her, and finally she let the suitcase flop down nosily on the floor in front of the bathroom. She flipped on the light and stepped further into the room, taking in the wanna-be nice and expensive look of the room. It seemed everything was black or a color close to it, as everything in the city appeared to be. But Kat was too tired to be choosy, and she yawned as she drew the curtains in the room shut. She headed towards the abandoned suitcase and dragged it into the middle of the room in front of the bed, and she snapped it open, rummaging around to find her pajamas.

Once she had changed into her plaid pajama pants and a gray tank top, she stood in front of her mirror, rinsing off her tooth brush before she placed it back into her toiletry bag. She ran her fingers through her long and wavy, dirty blond hair before she slammed off the light, and she made her way towards the squeaky bed, hoping she'd be asleep with in minutes, despite all the noise from the city just outside her window.

–

The faint wind blew past from behind Joker as he stepped into the lobby of the old hotel. He shook his head quickly, his way of unsticking his greasy hair from his head before he finally opened his eyes to take a look at his new home. His gang of royal thugs, which consisted of two, fat brothers named Rocco and Henshaw, a much smaller man Joker liked to call Bacardi, and a tall, skinny man who went by the name of Bozo, all watched as they stayed by the door as Joker slowly spun around, taking in the dingy, old room.

"So _this _is it," Joker said once he had come full circle, and he stared at his most trusted men, the rest of his gang standing behind the old receptionist counter. "This the new _Joker abode_ I trusted you four to pick."

"Ya see boss, we spent a good month lookin' around, and this is the only place off the cops radar, and we-"

"Calm down, Rocco," Joker said with a grin. "I never said I didn't _like _it, did I?" He turned back around, glancing at the dirty floor, stained ceiling and ripped furniture. It wasn't exactly the place _he_ would have picked, but he knew to expect this when he trusted his henchman with the job. But regardless, at this point Joker didn't care where he was staying, as long as it had hot water and a comfortable bed, which is the only thing his body longed for at the moment. "I want room sixty-_nine_," he said now said now. "Rocco, ol' boy, why don't you tell me where that is."

"Up the stairs and to the right. It's about ten doors down," he replied. Joker nodded, and headed over to the desk, wanting nothing but to take off Arkham's orange jumpsuit. He reached out his hand and waggled his fingers, waiting for someone to hand him both room keys. Once in his possession, he started towards the stairs without another word in search for his private room.

Unlocking the door, the first thing he noticed was the gray, peeling wallpaper and askew, dark red curtains. Both of the beds, however, were made and neat, and in front of them sat a large TV set. He locked the door behind him before he tossed the keys on the bathroom counter, and he snapped on the light to the sink area. He placed both his hands on the counter as he leaned over it, looking at himself in the mirror. His ridiculously greasy hair had faded into its natural dark blond color with a faint green hue lingering on the tips. His face was one-hundred percent bare of any face paint, and he stared at his deep, jagged scars for a moment before he finally unzipped his jumpsuit to strip it off. He went into the bathroom, quickly starting the shower, not bothering to let it warm up before he stepped into it.

A good hour and a half later, Joker emerged from his room, forced to wear the jump suit again, though this time he only put the pants on, leaving the top half unzipped, the portion bouncing behind him as he walked to the stairs. His hair dripped water onto his bare face and exposed chest, and he cracked his knuckles as he reached the lobby, where he found everyone lounging around on the old furniture.

"Alright," Joker spoke up loudly as he clapped his hands together, grabbing everyone's attention as their heads whipped over to him, the talking immediately dying down. "First order of business, where are all of _my_ uh... _possessions_?"

"They're in the back boss," Rocco spoke up as he sat up on the couch a little. "I can go get go them."

"Get to it," Joker said simply. Rocco motioned to somebody behind the counter with a scowl, leaving Joker to roll his eyes. "Okay next is supplies..." he trailed off as he took another step further into the room. "Bacardi, if you could be ever so _kind_ as to put down your drink, I need you to run to the store. It's safe to assume you what is considered living supplies, yes?"

"Yes, boss," Bacardi said as he took one final sip from his beer before he placed it onto the ground.

"Let's hope so," Joker growled. Escaping Arkham always left Joker feeling somewhat brain dead and tired, and naturally he always had to deal with starting over. All he needed, however, were his clothes, knives and guns and other objects, and for Bacardi to pick up a few toiletry items for their short stay at the hotel. Joker's plan was to look into getting a better place himself, for he knew he'd be able to do it right, and not only this but he was certain he'd need something to occupy his mind while he took a hiatus from chaos. But for the time being, all he wanted to do was get his belongings and go to bed.

"Man, you shoulda' seen the _bitch_ I picked up today."

Joker's attention turned towards the counter as one of the men behind it placed Joker's many giant bags onto it. Joker stepped up, deciding to join the conversation as he started for the bags.

"And what made her a _bitch_, Leroy?" Joker asked passively as he grabbed the last bag, an eyebrow cocked as he stared at his 'under-cover' cab driver.

"Just her shitty and bad attitude," Leroy answered with a small laugh. "Bitch gave me a twenty dollar tip though!"

Joker rolled his eyes, but he couldn't help but be _slightly_ interested. His plan that came with escaping Arkham, _again_, was to simply lay low for a while, though he knew boredom would be a huge issue with this. Perhaps he could simply use a toy, something he could play around with until his next big hit on the city, what ever and when ever that was.

"What did she look like?" Joker spoke up, taking Leroy and the other two men by surprise.

"Uh, she had long, dark blond hair... hot, even with wearing no make-up..." he trailed off, now starting to not remember exactly himself. Joker's interest had been captured, however. A pretty girl with a terrible attitude... she sounded fun.

"What was her name?" Joker asked.

"Kat," Leroy answered. "Don't know about a last name. It looked like she was headed to the hotel on Crow on First."

_Kat_, Joker thought in his mind. With a satisfied nod he turned around, all three big bags in hand, and he started back towards his room, happy to have found something to keep his boredom levels low. All that was left to do was find this Kat girl, where ever she was in the city, before she got too comfortable...

–

Kat found herself wide awake around nine the next morning. The dark curtains of her room blocked out the bright Gotham sunlight perfectly, with no light escaping past the edges of the curtain. She rose from the bed, wondering to herself if Paige would even be awake at this hour. She grabbed her cell phone off the bed, deciding to call her away. She waited on the line until the phone went to her voice mail, and with a huff she tossed her phone behind her on the bed before she headed into the bathroom for a shower.

After her quick, no longer than ten minute soak in the water, Kat went about quickly packing the few things she had gotten out before she reached for her phone, satisfied to see she had a voice mail from Paige, who in it told her to head over to her apartment any time she wanted. Kat placed her cell phone in her pocket, headed out of her room, and after she gave back her room key and explained to the same receptionist that she paid the night before, she stepped outside just as a taxi had pulled to the curb in front of the hotel. She walked over to it, thinking that maybe today her luck in this new city would be better.

She watched as a large, fat man stepped out of the car, and he turned around to immediately look down at her, almost as if he had been expecting to see her. "You need a cab?" He asked with a heavy, New York accent. Kat looked up at him, her eyes squinting in the sunlight as her eyebrows met in the middle.

"Yeah..." she said slowly, thrown off by the awkward moment. "Thanks..." she added as the man held the door open for her. She placed her suitcase on the floor before she got in the cab herself, the fat man _slamming_ her door shut for her. Kat sighed as she made herself comfortable in the car while the driver in front was left to smirk at her through the mirror.

"Small world, isn't it?"

Kat looked up, and she let out an annoyed huff as she slumped her shoulders, annoyed to find she was with the same taxi driver as the night before. _You've got to be kidding me_, she thought. She didn't reply to his stupid question, and instead she looked out the window, watching as the fat man slowly made his way towards the motel while he took out his cell phone. "Pleasant Side Apartments," she said rudely, informing the man of where she had to go. Leroy smiled, shaking his head to himself as he pulled away from the curb.

On the sidewalk in front of the hotel, Henshaw had just dialed Joker's number, and he placed it to his ear as he turned to watch Leroy drive off. After three rings, Joker picked up, breathing his greeting into the phone on the other end. "Yeah boss? It's me. He just got her."

In the car, Kat made a point to stare out the window while Leroy spent most of his time looking into the mirror back at Kat. She could see this from the corner of her eye, and after so long of trying to ignore it she rolled her eyes to the roof of the car. "Why don't you take a picture?" She asked sourly. "It'll last longer."

"You got a camera?" Leroy asked with a grin as he looked back into the mirror at her. Kat scrunched her face in disgust, ignoring his perverted remark. Leroy chuckled to himself as he looked back to the road. "So what's at Pleasant Side?" Kat ignored him, keeping her arms crossed in front of her chest as she stared at the all buildings go by. Leroy waited patiently for an answer, but after a minute of silence he figured Kat was not going to answer him. "Not a big talker, huh?"

Kat rolled her eyes again, hoping and praying that they were almost there. Luckily, after a right turn at a stop light and down a few blocks, the large sign that read 'Pleasant Side Apartments' fell into view, and Kat could barely contain herself in the car. "Looks like we're here," Leroy said. Kat quickly reached into her pocket to hand him the money she owed before she opened up the door. "Be careful around here," Leroy suddenly spoke up, causing Kat to stop for a moment and look back at him. "Gotham city can be a pretty _dangerous_ place. Especially for a pretty young lady such as yourself."

Kat raised her eyebrows at this before a snort of laughter escaped past her lips, and she shook her head as she proceeded out of the car, quickly grabbing her suitcase. Leroy grinned at his own advice, knowing that only he knew what he was talking about. _I'll be seeing you real soon, sweetie_, he thought to himself, and he stepped on the gas, the cab speeding down the street.

It wasn't hard for Kat to spot her friend lounging at a table by the pool on the side of the building, even at a distance She walked through the parking lot to the pool area and after opening the gate she made her way towards Paige, who was clad in a dark blue blue sun dress and matching sun hat, with big, over-sized sun glasses. She turned her head, finally noticing her friend approaching, and she stood up quickly to pull Kat into a hug.

"Kat! How are you?" She squealed excitedly, her blond hair bouncing as she smiled, shaking her head.

"Okay," Kat answered honestly as she sat down next to her at the small round table. "What about you?"

"I've been better, to be honest," Paige answered, her smile fading as she smoothed out her dress. "How was the trip over?"

"Shitty," Kat answered as she leaned back lazily, her back slumped. "My plane got delayed, _twice_, so I had to wait four fucking hours. I didn't get here until like, nine at night. Then I had the worst taxi driver in the world, and then he was my ride here again this morning!"

"That's odd," Paige said. "I mean, the chances of that happening are so slim. There are _so_ many taxi drivers around it's kinda crazy. Anyway, I'm sorry about your plane, dear. Did you call your parents yet?"

Kat rolled her eyes as she turned her attention to the kids in the pool, but they only seemed to annoy her further and she turned back to Paige, knowing this question would come up sooner or later. "No," she answered passively, her low voice and tone clearly screaming that she didn't want to talk about it. Paige frowned, and she took off her glasses to stare at Kat, her bright blue eyes wide with concern.

"Kat, you _need_ to call them! Do they even know where you went?" Paige asked, and her frown deepened when Kat slowly looked up at her with only her eyes, her face emotionless. "Oh my God, _please_ tell me you told them where you were going!"

"No," Kat answered again. "Ugh Paige! It's better this way! Believe me," Kat argued as she leaned up from her slouched position. "They're the main reason I left, Paige. Look, hear this. My closet was completely _bare_ a few days before I left, right? And you know how my mom would always go in there to borrow clothes? Well she said _nothing_ about the empty closet _or_ suitcase on the bed, and instead she was concerned about what I was going to wear to her 'small get-together." Kat's mouth fell open as she waited for Paige to react to this, to agree with Kat over how completely insane that was. But when Paige continued to just stare at her, Kat rolled her eyes and leaned back. "Whatever," she mumbled. "Look I'm not calling them because I don't want to talk to them. I don't even want to think about them. Anyway, you said the rent was pretty cheap here?"

"Yeah," Paige answered, sounding somewhat nervous as she leaned back in her chair. "Kat... about that..."

"What?" Kat asked as she leaned up a little, bracing herself for what sounded to be bad news. She waited as Paige nervously looked down, debating with herself on how to bring up what she was about to tell her.

"I'm um... moving back to Florida... back to my parents house-"

"You're _what_?" Kat's jaw hung slack as she stared at her friend in disbelief. "Paige, don't fucking joke with me, please-"

"I'm not Kat," she said back slowly as she folded her hands onto her lap. Kat's eyes widened and she shook her head as she leaned back, only to quickly sit forward again.

"Why are you telling me this _now_, Paige? I _just_ got here! We were supposed to-"

"I know, Kat, I know. I'm really sorry, it's just... I can't... stay here." She glanced up to her friend, who was glaring at her, her plump lips thinned, her light blond eyebrows raised as she waited for an explanation to her ridiculously bad news. "Remember that guy I was telling you about? _The Joker_?"

Kat smiled slightly at this as another snort of laughter escaped from her mouth. She shook her head before she turned back to Paige, still smiling as she tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. "You've got to me kidding me, Paige. _That_ guy?" Kat shook her head again, wondering how anybody could fear a guy who called himself the Joker. To her it was the most ridiculous thing on Earth.

"You don't understand, Kat," Paige said quickly. "He's dangerous, he's just... the worst most _heartless _guy. He's pure evil."

"Is he the _Devil_?" Kat asked as she widened her eyes, pulling her head back before she slumped back over with a grin. Paige frowned, wishing Kat would take this seriously.

"Yes!" Paige answered loudly. "Kat I almost _died_ because of him. He blew up four of Gotham's main bridges – I told you about this – and I was ridiculously close to them!"

Kat rolled her eyes as she sat back again, her hair falling back into her face. Paige frowned heavily at her friend while Kat looked back up at her. "Paige, you can't just leave. I _just_ got here. I have _nothing_, you're all I know here!"

"Oh, and now the infamous_ loner_ Kat suddenly needs someone?" Paige snapped back She sighed a short second later. "You're not listening to me. Now that he's out of Arkham the city isn't safe, like at all! That incident really shook me up, Kat. I can't stay here. I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner, I didn't know how to bring it up..."

"Yeah, maybe you should work on that," Kat said as she stood abruptly from her chair. Paige watched sadly as Kat picked up her suitcase.

"Kat, wait!"

Kat ignored her, however, and she trudged back towards the front of the apartment complex, looking for the office so she could talk to somebody about renting a room. Paige watched her stubborn friend go, knowing there was nothing she could do or say to sooth her friend's anger or make her understand. All she could do was hope that Kat would be safe and never come as close to death as she had...

A.N: Yaaay for this story coming back in a much better formaaaat! i PROMISE to you new people reading this it gets better suuuper quickly, so proceed on. Please please please review, and if you've read the original of this story let me know and tell me how it compares! (better, hopefully!) Hope you enjoyed it, the 2nd chapter is already in the works!


	2. Evolution

Over the course of the next two weeks, Kat had settled into her new apartment quite comfortably. With Paige gone now, Kat was one-hundred percent alone in this big city, but she knew the only thing to do was suck it up and move on. Her friend lived her life on fear, but Kat knew she was different. She felt sorry Paige had nearly been blown away to the sky and she had spent much time on the phone with her after to help sooth her nerves, but Kat just could not take this Joker guy seriously. Ever since she had gotten to the city everyone seemed to be carrying out their normal lives while the city moved on, Joker's break out seeming to have no effect on anything, whatsoever. Kat was desperate to be on her own, away from her parents, and she wasn't going to let a _clown_ ruin it for her.

With the majority of her money gone due to buying hand-me-down furniture for her apartment, Kat had just enough money left to pay for her first month of rent. She spent a good majority of her time applying for a job everywhere in Gotham, including the grocery store, a few food chain restaurants, and a place called Shreck's Department Store. As of late she hadn't heard anything back, even after calling the places herself, and with her rent due in just a few weeks, Kat was feeling pretty desperate for a job.

Now, after Kat had gathered a small amount of money, leaving just enough for rent with a couple extra dollars, she made her way to Gotham's Groceries, the large building just a few blocks away. She made her way down the street, dodging past people on the sidewalks as they walked hand in hand or clutched their shopping bags, and after waiting five long minutes at the crosswalk, she finally stepped into the store.

She grabbed a cart from her right, trying to think of what food items she needed at home as she slowly started further into the store. She glanced up and down the shelves in the chip aisle, hoping to see something that would jog her memory, but instead she wandered around the corner into the next aisle, her cart bare of anything.

With twenty minutes slowly wasted away, Kat was getting annoyed with the amount of time it was taking her to get a few items. With a package of Twinings Tea, bananas, a small case of water and eggs in her cart, Kat was so busy trying to re-discover the aisle that contained the cereal as she pushed her cart, her head tilted up as she read the signs, that she failed to notice someone was coming her way, just as distracted as she. Their carts collided with a loud crashing sound as Kat snapped out of her daze, and her eyes widened as she quickly pulled her cart away.

"Oh! Oh my Gosh, I'm so, so sorry. So sorry..." the lady she had crashed into was bending down already to pick up the package of toilet paper that had fallen from the bottom portion of her filled-to-the-top cart, and the water package that had fell from Kat's. Kat watched as she frantically placed the water back onto her cart and the toilet paper on Kat's, until she finally realized her mistake. "Oh, stupid! _Stupid!" _She scolded herself as she switched the items, and she stood up quickly a second later, blowing a piece of her ridiculously curly hair out of her face. "I'm sorry," she said again as her eyebrows furrowed, her face holding a nervous expression.

"It's okay," Kat said, smiling slightly at the overly-frantic lady in front of her. She didn't see the big deal, and she purposely widened her smile to show the lady she wasn't mad.

"This happens to me _all_ the time!" The crazy lady said now with a small laugh as she looked up to the ceiling with a smile. "You get looking at your list, or peeking down the aisles and you fail to notice somebody in your lane!"

Kat, still smiling, nodded, pretending that she agreed. She took a minute to quickly take in her appearance. She wore a dark brown skirt that ended just past her knees, with a white shirt and matching thin jacket over. Her curly hair ended at her shoulders and was a soft, rich light blond color. She was skinny, her face was boney with high, defined cheekbones, and she wore big, thick, black circular glasses over her face, the lenses hiding how bright and blue her eyes were. After a short moment of silence, she quickly spoke up.

"I'm Selina. Selina Kyle." She extended her arm out, and Kat grabbed her hand to shake it gently.

"Kat Megans," she answered as she forced another smile. While she wasn't in the mood to waste any more time at the store than needed, Selina was at least friendly, perhaps the most friendly person she had encountered over her few weeks in Gotham. Granted she seemed a little hectic and crazy, it was somewhat refreshing to have meet someone so nice. Kat noticed Selina was now taking in her appearance of ripped, gray cargo pants and her bleach stained black tank top, so she figured she'd at least show Selina she wasn't some uncaring, disgusting slob. "I like your name," she complimented randomly. "It's pretty."

"Thank you!" Selina said noisily, causing a few shoppers to look their way. "I just _adore_ yours. Is Kat short for something?"

Kat hesitated for a moment. "No," she said quickly. "It's just Kat," she lied. It wasn't that she was paranoid about telling Selina her _real_ name, it was just that she _hated_ her name and completely resented it. She had come to Gotham for a fresh start, to finally be her own person, so she figured why not start out with her name.

"That's neat," Selina said with a warm smile and a nod. "Well it was nice meeting you," she spoke up. "It's so rare to find nice people in this stupid city. I practically have no friends!" She laughed, only for her laughter to die down once she realized the completely pathetic statement she had just said. Kat's natural reaction was raise an eyebrow at her, but she quickly corrected her face and forced a small smile.

"Yeah," she agreed. "I just moved here and I don't know anyone."

"Oh, wow," Selina said, happy the subject had been changed. "Where are you staying?" She widened her smile to show the woman in front of her that she wasn't some psycho creep, and rather was just trying to strike up a conversation. Granted Kat didn't seem like anyone else she had ever met or seen walking around, for that matter, she was just happy to have met someone who didn't seem too judgmental. All she had to was _stay normal_.

"Pleasant Side Apartments," Kat answered simply, ignoring the glares an old lady who was forced to go around the two shot at her. Kat glared at her back, most likely scaring the old lady, and she turned around and hurried into the next aisle.

"Nice place," Selina commented. "I live at a place called Sparrows Nest, it's actually not too far from Pleasant Side," she rambled on. "Anyway, what brought you to _Gotham_ of all places?" She smiled widely as she folded her arms on the handle of the cart, and she leaned in slightly. "Unless, it's private and you don't want to answer!" She quickly leaned back, her voice hectic and rushed again. "I'll completely understand-"

"I moved here because of my parents," Kat answered, not bothering to smile this time. She liked Selina, but knew she had to calm the hell down. She wondered what caused her to feel so frantic and act as if everyone instantly disliked her, but she pushed the thought to the back of mind, deciding she didn't really care in the first place. "They were just too... caught up in their own worlds." Kat shook her head as she recalled a few key instances. "And I just felt pathetic living with them. I just turned twenty one, and I figured it was time to be on my own."

"Oh wow, you're so young!" Selina said happily. "I'll be turning _twenty five_ soon." She rolled her eyes as if this was a big deal. "But I understand about self-absorbed parents. My mother is the worst. I moved out when I turned eighteen with my boyfriend at the time, and even seven years later my mom still calls me _everyday_ to _check up_." Selina rolled her eyes again, and this time caused Kat to let out a real, small laugh.

"Yeah, I can understand that," she said. "I didn't tell my parents where I was going. I just sort of, packed up and left. It's been about three weeks and I still haven't called."

"Oh my," Selina said. "That's insane! I don't know, my mother drives me crazy, but I guess it's nice knowing someone out there cares about me enough to know what I'm doing twenty-four seven."

Kat made a face this, completely unable to disagree more. She knew the day that someone demanded to know what she was _constantly _up to was the day she'd kill herself. And since she valued her somewhat crappy life that she was constantly trying to improve, she still refused to call her parents for this reason. Granted they had called her cell phone thousands of times, Kat just felt no need to call them back or even listen to their voice mails.

"Well it was really nice meeting you," Selina repeated. "Maybe we could get together some time? Have some coffee or lunch, I'm up for anything."

Normally Kat wasn't one to agree to a lunch or coffee outing, given that she wasn't a fan of coffee and right now she was pretty low on cash, but she figured maybe having a friend in this rude and giant town would prove to be a good thing. She smiled now. "Sure," she said. "That would great." She reached into her pocket to draw out her cell phone. "Can I get your number?"

"Oh, of course!" Selina said, quickly rambling her number to her. She placed her hands back on the handle of her cart and started to push it past Kat. "You can call me any time!" She said. "I always have my phone."

"Sounds good," Kat said as she started away as well. They exchanged their goodbyes, leaving Kat to finally find the cereal aisle, pay, and leave the store with her two bags in hand.

–

Over the next few days Kat found herself desperate for a job, and for something to occupy her boring days she spent cooped up in her apartment. There was only so much TV she could take, and now that she had run out of random scraps of paper to draw on, she paced around her apartment, thinking of her slim possibilities of entertainment. She stared at her phone on the kitchen counter, and she debated with herself whether or not she wanted to call Selina.

_Ugh she was weird_, Kat thought in her mind, wondering if she could stand to be around somebody who was so frantic. In high school she recalled the few friends she had, and how they were so relaxed and down to Earth. Selina was the complete opposite. But given the circumstances, perhaps she was just what Kat needed for the time being. So with a final decision she reached over to grab her phone and she scrolled through her contacts to Selina. After only two rings she picked up.

"Hello?"

"Hey Selina, it's Kat." Kat turned around to continue pacing around her apartment, suddenly wishing she had planned out what to say to avoid an awkward silence.

"Kat! Hi!" Selina squealed into the phone. "Wow to be honest I didn't think you'd call... Ooh! Just kidding, I mean, of course you'd call... well I mean not _of course_ but you get it-"

"I was wondering if you wanted to do something if you weren't busy?" Kat interrupted rather rudely, but Selina didn't seem to mind or notice.

"Yeah!" She said, a cat meowing loudly and repeatedly in the background. "You caught me at a good time today, actually, I don't have to go to work tonight because of this party... anyway what did you have mind? Coffee? Lunch? We could just eat something over here, if you wanted."

Kat smiled at this third option. "Yeah, we can do that," she said. "I can take a cab over."

"Oh sounds great!" Selina said excitedly. "My apartment is called Sparrow's Nest. It's off of 3rd and Craft Street, it's a big off-white building, you can't miss it. Feel free to come over any time! I'm room 33F on the forth story!"

"Okay," Kat said. "I'll see you soon." She hung up her phone and headed into her room to change out of her pajamas. After she checked her hair to make sure it looked half way decent, she placed her phone, iPod, and small wallet in her pockets, and she debated with whether or not she wanted to walk or take a cab. She felt as though she was beginning to know the streets around her area a little bit better, for she knew Craft Street was only a few blocks away. On her way out the door she placed her head phones on, selected a song by her favorite band, locked the door, and was on her way.

A short walk and five songs later, Kat had made it to Selina's apartment complex that consisted of one, large building, a big pool, and a tennis court. She took her head phones off, and after loosely wrapping the cord around the small device she placed it back into her pocket and opened the door.

A lady at a desk to her immediate left smiled at her as she made her way inside, not saying anything as Kat started towards the elevator. After reaching the fourth level of the complex, she started down the hall, looking for Selina's door. Once successfully finding it, Kat knocked quietly.

From inside, Selina quickly finished pouring her cat its milk before she placed it on the counter and she skipped over happily to the door. She smiled widely at Kat, and she held the door open for her while she stepped inside. "Hi!" She said. "I like your outfit," she complimented.

"Thanks," Kat said, noticing how much more natural Selina looked. Her hair was down again, but her face was bare of any glasses, and she wore jean shorts and a small t-shirt. She allowed herself to look around her small apartment, taking in the faint pink walls and dark furniture. She turned around to smile somewhat awkwardly at Selina while she smiled back.

"So did you take a cab here or walk?" She asked as she finally closed and locked the door.

"I walked," Kat answered.

"Yeah, I don't blame you. I hear it's going to be a pretty harsh winter so I'm trying to spend a lot of time outside before it gets too cold. Do you like the winter?"

"I'm from Florida," Kat said as she followed Selina into the kitchen, knowing this would be enough information to answer her question.

"Oh wow, what a gorgeous place," Selina said. "Well I hate to tell you this, but you're in for a rude awakening." Kat smiled as she paused by the archway of the kitchen. "Would you like something to drink? I got milk, water or..." she opened the fridge and bent down slightly. "A can of diet Sprite."

"Water is fine," Kat said as she smiled. Selina reached into her fridge and drew out a bottle of water, smiling as she handed it to Kat before she got herself a glass of milk. Kat watched as her small black cat made its way over to her, smelling her pants before it rubbed its head against them, purring. Kat grinned slightly and she bent over to pet the cat.

"Oh, that's Miss Kitty," Selina said as she smiled. "She is the sweetest cat on _Earth_. She just loves everybody. Do you like cats?"

"Yeah," Kat answered. "My friend had a few." She stroked the cat one last time before she moved away to sit across from Selina at her small, brown circular table. She uncapped her water finally and took a large sip before she placed it on the table.

"So how's Gotham treating you so far?" Selina asked, that smile never fading from her face as she leaned over slightly. She couldn't help but to be so happy and she had a hard time keeping it under control. It had been so long since she had anybody over, besides her mother, and the rush of the possibility of having a new friend was taking a big toll on her. Granted Kat seemed a little reserved, and judging by the way she had glared daggers that poor old lady at the grocery store, Selina guessed it was safe to assume that perhaps Kat wasn't the nicest girl on the block. But regardless, she was friendly towards her, and Selina knew that was all that mattered.

"It's okay," Kat said with a nod as she watched Miss Kitty hop on the kitchen counter to stare out the window. She tried hard to refrain from making a face at this, knowing if it was her cat she'd have strict regulations on what the cat, or any animal for that matter, could and could not do. But rather she turned back to Selina. "I've been looking for a job. I have rent due soon and I turned in like fifty applications but haven't heard anything back yet."

"Uh-oh," Selina said after taking a sip from her glass, and she licked off the remaining milk mustache. "Did you apply at Shreck's Department store?" Kat nodded, and Selina's eyes widened. "Well I work in the executive office for that place. I'm Mister Shreck's secretary. It's not as awesome as it sounds though," she grumbled as she leaned back in her chair, her arms stretched in front of her as she held onto her glass on the table. "I can put in a good word, though!"

"That would be great," Kat said with a small smile.

"Yeah it's no problem," Selina went on as she leaned forward again. "I actually had the day off because there's this party tonight that I – miraculously – got invited to." Kat nodded at this passively, but Selina took this differently. "Hey! Why don't you go with me?"

Kat's eyes widened and she immediately shook her head. "N-no," she started as she forced a smile, trying to stay polite about this. "That's okay." She had just moved away from constant parties, she was not ready to instantly be thrown into even more. It would completely go against her purposes for moving to Gotham in the first place.

"It's at Bruce Wayne's _mansion_," Selina went on as if this would actually convince Kat to go. Kat started to shake her head, but she stopped and glanced up and to the side in sudden though.

"That name sounds familiar," Kat said, though she wasn't exactly sure why. She tried to think of who she had met with that name, but nobody came to mind, especially being that she only knew of a few people in Gotham, which consisted of her terrible cab driver, the absent-minded lady at the motel she had stayed at, her landlord, and Selina.

"He owns practically _everything_ in city through Wayne Enterprises," Selina answered, a look of realization coming to Kat's face.

"Oh, right," she said. "_That_ guy."

"Yeah," Selina said. "He's the biggest name pretty much anywhere. Anyway he's throwing this party for charity, to raise money and awareness for the endangered animals in other countries."

Kat didn't hide her face of disgust over this. Like she gave a _fuck_ about the animals in other countries, and like hell she'd ever donate money to 'save' them. Her parents _always_ threw stupid feel good parties like that, and Kat couldn't think of anything she hated more. "So what is this some open party?" Kat wondered out loud, in hopes that she could rip on Bruce Wayne even more over his stupidity to just invite _anyone_ over to his house.

"Oh, no," Selina said with a small laugh as she shook her head. "It's invitation only. Mr. Shreck handed out the invitations the other night, and I was _so_ surprised when I found out I was invited. But _please_ go with me! I know you weren't invited, but I _know_ nobody will notice."

"Selina, to be honest things like that are really my _forte_," Kat said as she shook her head slightly. "I came to Gotham to get away from all that." Across from her Selina slumped her shoulders.

"I know but _please_, Kat," she went on like a child. "I'm going to need somebody to talk to while I'm there, and I really want to go. I never get invited to things like this, and it's a big opportunity. Trust me, after living here for a while you'll understand why. _Please_ go with me."

Kat stared at her, honestly feeling a little annoyed by Selina's constant begging, and she had a feeling saying 'no' repeatedly wasn't going to get her out of it. She considered saying yes, but her mind instantly snapped back in to reality, reminding her off all the stuck up guests that would be there and how badly she loathed those types of people. She continued to stare into Selina's pleading, icy eyes, and she rolled her eyes a she slumped her shoulders, slouching over slightly. "Fine," she gave in easily, thinking that maybe this could be an opportunity to start something with some mindless, rich nobody. Selina smiled widely and began to clap her hands. "I have _nothing_ to wear though," Kat started.

"Oh, I have plenty things you could borrow!" She said excitedly. "I'm sure we're about the same size! Let's go look!" She stood abruptly from the table and she made a beeline towards her room. Kat immediately started to regret her decision as she slowly stood from the table. Upon entering Selina's small bedroom, she watched as she laid out all sorts of dresses over her bed, and once she laid out the last of them, she looked up and smiled happily. "Pick any one!" She commanded.

"No, they're yours," Kat said. "You pick which one you want."

"I'm fine with either. It's the least I can do since you agreed to go," she went on with a laugh. "I insist."

Kat stepped closer to the bed as she looked over the four somewhat fancy dresses that sat in front of her. She quickly skipped past the red one and the yellow one until it came between a black, tight strapless dress and a bigger dark blue long, v-neck gown. She wasn't fond of how short the black dress was or how tight it seemed, but the v-neck dress was way to long and called for too much unwanted attention, so she settled on the black dress, and she picked it up. "Is this one okay?"

"Of course!" Selina said. "That's going to look amazing on you!" Kat smiled at her while Selina picked the yellow, knee-length halter dress by placing the other two dresses away. Kat placed the dress back on the bed. "The party doesn't start until five," she started, and she glanced at her alarm clock. "Looks like we have four hours to spare! What do you want to do?"

For the rest of the afternoon Kat and Selina spent their time in her living room, watching _Bridezillas_. Much to Kat's enjoyment and most of all, relief, Selina was right there with her, agreeing with every hostile thing Kat said about the bitches the show portrayed when she wasn't fantasizing about her own wedding, in which Kat would just smile and nod. Unfortunately, around three thirty, Selina suggested they begin to go get ready.

Now, Kat stepped into the small bathroom to join Selina, and she frowned at herself in the mirror. Selina, however, could not stop staring at her. "Kat!" She exclaimed. "You look _gorgeous_!"

Kat immediately made a face as she looked into the full length mirror, Selina stepping out of the way. The dress ended just above her knees, and while Kat was thankful she had shaved that morning, she was not fond, at all, of the way the dress exaggerated her already wide hips and slim waist; she appeared just a little too curvy... and unfortunately when she turned to the side, her theory about how her ass looked had been correct. It looked bigger than she had hoped.

"Maybe I should change," she started foully, as she fixed her hair over her shoulders to hide the cleavage in front, and she frowned at her bare shoulders.

"No!" Selina cried. "Kat I am _telling_ you, you are going to be the most gorgeous person at this party!" Kat knew this wasn't true. Selina herself looked amazing in her yellow dress, her hair thrown into a messy but elegant bun on the top of her head, her dark make-up freshly and neatly finished. Kat continued to make a face. "I'm _not_ letting you change, Kat," Selina said. "That dress fits you better than it ever did on me. You can just have it." She tossed her hand at her.

Kat rolled her eyes as she stepped further into bathroom. Selina finished the last touches on her make-up before she left the room, mumbling about something, leaving Kat to continue to stare in the mirror at herself. Her long hair ended just past her breasts, and her face was, as always, bare of any make-up. She continued to frown at herself, not happy with how she came off, she didn't feel like herself. Even in the most plain-Jane dress on Earth, it still called for way too much attention. Kat grumbled as she finally turned away from the mirror. The first guy to stare at her in _any way_ was surely up for a rude awakening.

Selina returned a moment later, holding two small purses that matched each dress. Kat immediately began to shake her head. "You'll need this, trust me," Selina argued as she handed Kat the tiny black clutch bag. Kat looked over it with a scowl. "You can put all your things in it and have them with you, where you know they'll be safe," Selina went on to say. "Please just take it." Kat sighed, giving in easy again, and she went into Selina's room to retrieve the things out of her pockets, and she zipped them into the small bag.

Shortly after Selina had finished perfecting her look as best as she could, Kat collected her clothes and stupid clutch bag and she started out of the apartment with Selina to get into her small Honda Civic. The ride was a little longer than Kat had anticipated, and after a good twenty minutes she wasn't sure how much more of Selina's giddy pop music she could take. Luckily, with Wayne Manor approaching in the near distance, Selina turned down the radio, _finally_, and began to debate with herself on where to park.

"Don't bother parking in there," Kat said as she glared at the massive amount of cars crowded beyond the gate. "Just park in the street somewhere."

"That's so dangerous though," Selina said. "Well you know, what _thug_ is going to come all the way up here anyway." She rolled her eyes as she shook her head, and taking Kat's advice she parked a little bit up the street from the gate, right next to the tree and bush covered stone wall. the gate. She turned the car off and stepped out, immediately closing her door while Kat stared at the stupid clutch bag that sat on top of her pants on the floor in front of her. She rolled her before she opened the door, leaving the bag behind before she closed the door.

"Oh shit!" Selina yelled suddenly, causing Kat to jump slightly as she looked up to Selina. "I left the damn keys in the car!" Kat frowned heavily at her mindless, new friend. _Are you kidding me_? She watched as Selina started back towards her door to grab the handle with both hands, and she glanced up, annoyed, watching as a dark green Tahoe drove past. Selina braced herself, acting as though she was about to pull the whole door clean off, and pulled, nearly falling back when the door flew open. She quickly caught her balance before she reached in for the keys, proceeding to close her door again. Kat rolled her eyes as she turned around to start towards the big, black gate, Selina quickly catching up to her.

"Did you lock the car?" Kat asked once they had gone through the gates.

"I think so..." Selina said, thinking. "Yeah, I'm sure I did." For her and Selina's sake, Kat hoped she was right, and she followed Selina towards the double doors that lead into Wayne Manor.

"Good evening, ladies," an old man in a suit standing at the door greeted. "The guests are all congregating in the ball room. It's just past these doors and to your right."

Selina smiled warmly at him while Kat simply followed Selina, not bothering to look around this rich scum's house.

The ball room was _packed_ with people, and was nothing but a mass of fancy dresses and tuxes, mindless chatter and laughter, and food that probably took weeks to prepare. Selina looked all around with wonder while Kat was left to cross her arms in front of her and scowl at her surroundings, her body language clearing saying she did want to be there.

"Can you believe this place?" Selina asked, her eyes wide as she turned to Kat. "This placing is beautiful!"

"It's awesome," Kat said flatly as she protruded her hip to the side, making a point to stare down the old lady wearing a dress that closely resembled a peacock.

"Let's go get a drink," Selina suggested. "I think they have Champagne!" Kat rolled her eyes as she followed her friend through the mass of people towards the buffet area. Selina grabbed a glass from the table, but Kat refrained from doing so, for the only thing she could think about was how many people had sneezed, coughed, and even just breathed on everything laid out in front of her. She was busy glaring at everyone that left with a small plate of food from the buffet when Selina's high pitched, happy voice shattered her thoughts.

"! Hello," Selina said. Kat turned and watched as a tall, somewhat aged man with snow white hair smiled passively at her.

"Ms. Kyle, you made it..." he said, and Kat instantly detected the annoyance in his voice, unlike Selina who nodded happily after taking a sip from her glass.

"Of course!" She said. "Oh, Mr. Shreck, this is my friend, Kat." Selina turned and motioned for Kat to stand next to her. Kat stepped up, not bothering to hide the frown on her face.

"Hello," Mr. Shreck said very monotone like as he held out his hand.

"Hi," Kat said simply as she shook his hand. He pulled away a quick second later, leaving Kat to cross her arms again and look off into the distance. Without another word, Mr. Shreck made his way between the girls to go find somebody more important to converse with. Now that he was gone, Selina rolled her eyes with a slight sigh.

"I hate him," she said quietly to Kat. Kat was just about to speak up upon this issue, but Selina had immediately turned around and was already waving to somebody. "Oh! There's Bruce!"

Kat turned her head again and watched as a tall, built man with dark, slicked back hair made his way over to them. He wore a large frown on his face as well, but he forced a small smile once he approached Selina and Kat.

"Bruce Wayne," he said simply as he held out his hand, Selina quickly taking it.

"Selina Kyle," she said with a wide smile. She let go of Bruce's hand, and he placed his hands into his pockets as he turned to Kat, and he raised his eyebrows.

"Kat," she said simply, not bothering to hold her hand out since it was apparent he didn't care to shake her hand. Bruce forced a small grin.

"Kat, Selina." He nodded at them both. "I'm trying to introduce myself to everyone here, prove that I'm not _that_ big of an asshole," he laughed slightly, though his tone was flat and emotionless. Selina laughed loudly along with him while Kat scrunched her eyebrows together, and she rolled her eyes as she looked away. "Well, have fun I guess," Bruce said a moment later, and like Shreck, he rudely made his way between the two girls to greet the fat couple that had yet to step away from the buffet.

"Wow, Bruce Wayne," Selina said dreamily as she watched him greet the couple a good five feet behind Kat. "I've always wanted to meet him."

"Are you serious?" Kat asked as she turned to her. "Please, the guy is a complete asshole, regardless of what he said. You can tell he doesn't want to be here just as much as the next person."

"I want to be here," Selina said a she placed her hand on her chest. Kat sighed and turned away, knowing she would just lose the argument.

–

Outside, Joker had just stepped out from the shrubs in front of the mansion onto the pavement, and he cringed as his fat henchman made more noise than necessary as they followed him. "Hey boss, why we gotta stalk this chick anyway?" Rocco asked as he fixed his tie. Joker rolled his eyes as he turned back around.

"We're not _stalking_, Rocco," he said. "We're _observing _and _learning_."

"What's the difference?" Henshaw chimed in as they followed Joker passed the line of cars parked in the street, the private Wayne Manor road bare of any other life.

"The world," Joker answered, finally spotting Selina's silver car. He skipped over to the car with bounce in his steps, leaving Rocco and Henshaw to take their time with walking behind him, rolling their eyes at Joker's antics. He stopped abruptly in front of the passenger side of the car, and he immediately placed his hand on the handle, easily opening the door. He turned to his top two with raised eyebrows, expanding the deep, dark black circles around his eyes. "Looks like ol' miss Kyle isn't too smart, eh?"

Rocco and Henshaw said nothing as Joker sat down in the seat, his legs stretched in front of him outside, and he quickly reached down to Kat's purse that she had refused to take in. Joker grinned at this; it only made his job easier. He unzipped it with a quick motion and parted the sides to peer in. "Hmm..." he said to himself as he took out Kat's small wallet. He opened it, skipping past the cash that sat inside, and he quickly pulled out Kat's driver license. "Kathreen Marie Megans," he read out loud. "Born September 14th, 1990. Stands five foot four inches tall, blond hair, brown eyes... and oh look! She's an organ donor!"

Joker hummed to himself as he placed her ID inside his purple trench coat pocket, and with a shrug he placed her wallet in with it. He opened the bag again and pulled out her cellphone, and after unlocking it he selected her recent call list, and he scrolled down, the same number appearing tons of times in a row. On the top of the menu he noticed she had a voice mail, and grinning with curiosity he selected it, and held the phone to his ear.

_"Kathreen Marie Megans!_" A loud woman's voice boomed. _"This is my zillionth time calling. Please honey, tell me where you are! I don't know what makes you think you can just up and leave..._" she paused, and Joker heard a sniffle in the background. "_Please, Kat, just call me. Please_." The woman, who Joker assumed was Kat's mother, hung up the phone, thus ending the message. Joker hung up from the voice mail and tossed her phone back into the bag, and he drew out her iPod.

"We almost done boss?" Rocco complained. "Our show is comin' on soon and it's a-"

"Hold on, Rocco," Joker said blankly and slowly as he turned on the iPod. He placed one of Kat's ear bud head phones into his ear, and he pressed play as a song by KoRn started to play. He raised an eyebrow, both surprised and unsurprised that this girl would enjoy this kind of music. He pressed the back button, selecting a new song now. He seemingly absentmindedly listened for a moment, admittedly enjoying the song, until a sigh from Rocco interrupted the catchy tune. With a roll of his eyes he pulled the cord from his ear and replaced the iPod. With an annoyed sigh of his own he zipped up the purse, placing it where he had found it, and he stepped out of the car, closing the door behind him.

"We need to work on your patience," Joker said in a flat, annoyed tone as he pointed his finger in Rocco's face. "And I know _just_ the man to teach it to you."

"Don't tell me your talking about that Joey... Wilfred guy," Rocco complained as he and his brother followed the man in purple down the road now, a few feet away.

"It's _Wallace_, and yes I am," Joker said cheerfully as he continued down the street, his hands in his pants pockets. Rocco grumbled behind him, leaving Joker to simply grin.

"So what's the plan with this chick, boss?" Henshaw went on to ask as he brought up the rear of the trio. "We gonna kill her or what?"

"Henshaw," Joker started slowly as he turned his head slightly. "Would I _really_ go through _all_ this trouble just to _kill_ her?" Joker let Henshaw think about that for a moment, and fearing that he'd say something stupid, he quickly answered for him. "No," he said simply. "I wouldn't. That's a waste of _my_ time and completely pointless. No, I have _plans_ for Ms. _Kathreen_ Megans," he said in a deep, dark voice, an evil grin sliding onto his painted lips as he stared at the dark road in front of him, thinking. "And those plans are going to start first thing _tomorrow_."

a.n: i loved all the reviews i got! and 'sank ya's for the alerts and favorites :)) keep 'em comin! :D :))


	3. Anesthetize This Bitch

After spending five and a half more hours than necessary at the party, Selina and Kat were finally headed back to her car around ten thirty. Fortunately, Selina had managed to only have one glass of champagne while Kat had refrained herself, easily, from having anything to eat or drink. She spent the entire time sitting at the few tables that were around, ignoring the few men who had tried to converse with her, or the rest of the time following Selina around while she introduced Kat to _everybody, _the conclusion being quickly drawn to the guests that Kat was, in all simplicity, a bitch. Now all Kat wanted to do was go home, crawl into her bed and sleep for as long as she could.

"Some party, huh?" Selina squeaked happily as she took her keys from her small purse. Kat raised her eyebrows, but didn't say anything back as she vowed to herself in her mind that was by far the _last_ Gotham social event she would _ever_ attend. No friendship was worth it. "Well, thanks for going," Selina said as she mindlessly placed her hand on the handle. "However I can pay you back, just let me-" she paused as she opened her car door without having to use the key, and she nervously looked up to Kat. "Oh, my God! I never locked the car!"

Staying calm, Kat reached out to open her own door, and she leaned in to look over her things while Selina did the same on her side. Her pants were still folded on floor with her shirt tossed on top, and her clutch bag was right where she had left it. She glanced to the backseat before she looked to Selina. "Everything's here," she said simply, and she got into the car before she closed her door. Eyes wide, Selina got in the car herself, quickly shutting her door before she started turned the key.

"I just can't believe I did that," she was saying as she pulled away from the curb, glancing behind her shoulder more times than necessary. "I mean we were _talking_ about it and I _still_ did it!"

Kat was only half listening as she placed her elbow on the door, and she clutched some of her wavy hair as she leaned her head on her hand, her eyelids heavy. Before she knew it, Selina was pulling in front of the A building of Kat's apartment complex. With the car jerking to a stop Kat quickly sat up, glancing around until she finally recognized her surroundings.

"Thank you for going with me," Selina said again with a happy smile. "I'll have to pay you back."

"Yeah," Kat said. "You do." She grinned at her before she collected her things and opened her door. "I can return all this to you tomorrow."

"Don't worry about it," Selina said back with a wave of her hand. "It looks better on you anyway." With a quick exchange of goodbyes, Kat closed the door and immediately turned around to go to the B building. She dragged her feet as she made her way down the hall on the second floor, pausing at her door to sleepily grab her keys from her side pocket on her pants. She unlocked the door and stepped inside quickly, shutting and locking the door behind her. With an obnoxious yawn she threw her bag and clothes onto her bed before she headed towards her bathroom, instantly peeling the tight dress from her small body. She picked up her same pajamas she had worn the previous night that hung on her towel rack, and after brushing her teeth she sleepily made her way to her bed after turning off the bathroom light.

With an annoyed grumble she picked up the stupid clutch bag from the bed and she zipped it open, lazily pouring out the contacts on the bed before she tossed it behind her. She was just about to start to put everything away when she paused suddenly, her draw dropping. Where was her wallet?

She blinked rapidly a few times to make sure she wasn't just imagining things, and once she confirmed that yes, her wallet was not on the bed in front of her, she quickly turned around to check in the bag again. But it was empty, as were her pants pockets, and she took a minute as she closed her eyes, trying to think. _It's probably just in her car_, Kat thought, trying to keep calm about this. She quickly took her cellphone off her bed and scrolled to Selina's number, assuming she'd be home.

"Hey, Kat," she said, sounding confused once she had picked up the phone.

"Hey, um... is my wallet in your car?" Kat bit her bottom lip as she waited for Selina to reply.

"Oh, was it not in your purse?"

"No." Kat rolled her eyes to the ceiling. "I'm sorry, I know your probably trying to go to bed, but-"

"Oh no, it's fine! Let me go check, hold on okay?" Before Kat could respond Selina dropped her phone on the couch, grabbed her keys and was out the door. Kat sighed loudly as she turned around to step back over to bed. She glanced down, raising an eyebrow when she noticed her iPod on now, the screen bright in the dim lighting. Confused, she picked up, swearing she had turned it off and locked it, and she grew even more confused. _Korn, Twisted Transistor_, she read the name of the song on the screen in her head, noticing the song was half way through. She met her eyebrows in the middle; she was _certain_ that was not the last song she was listening to, in fact, she was positive. She shook her head a second later, figuring she had just forgotten to lock it and on the way over a bump caused it to turn back on and play through. However, this did not explain where her wallet was...

Finally Selina returned to the phone, sounding breathless. "Kat," she said, and she frowned, detecting the worry in her voice. "I looked _all_ around my car and it wasn't in there. You don't think somebody _stole _it do you?"

Kat rolled her eyes at this. "No," she said as she reminded herself that was stupid, and there was just no way that was what happened. But with further thought, the possibility was high. Where else would have her wallet gotten to? "Well... I don't know," she said. "What the hell do you do about a stolen wallet?"

"I don't know," Selina said sadly. "Did it have your ID in it?"

"Yes," Kat said as she plopped down onto her bed. Selina 'hmm-ed' on the other end. "Whatever, I'll figure it out tomorrow," Kat said after a yawn.

"But Kat this is serious." Selina scolded. "You need your ID for just about... _everything_!"

"It's fine," Kat said, getting annoyed easily now. "It's probably around here somewhere. I can't even remember if I brought it in the first place."

"Well, if you're sure..."

"I am," Kat said. "G'night." After Selina responded Kat let her phone drop to the floor. She reached over, turning off her lamp and she immediately rested her head on her pillow, and after getting comfortable under the blankets, she was asleep the second her eyes closed.

–

Kat had woken up the following morning to her phone ringing, and after groggily checking the number and realizing she didn't recognize it, she answered, and much to her excitement the caller had informed of her a job interview for later that night at a twenty-four hour cafe a good ten minute walk from her complex. Excited and fully awake, Kat had quickly gotten out bed to shower.

Now, eight hours later, after several cups of tea and endless TV shows, Kat was in her bathroom, readying herself for her interview. She wore black dress pants, black sandals, and up top she wore a white, button down, long sleeved shirt. After fixing the collar of it she put on some make-up, thinly lining only the top of her eyes before she put on mascara on her top and bottom lashes. She skipped past anything on her lips, and after adjusting her hair over her shoulders nicely, she grabbed her keys and phone, put them in her pocket, and started out the door.

The sun had just started to set as she walked down the street, the sky a magnificent gold and purple color beyond the tall buildings. She watched as a few cars drove past her on the streets, and she reminded herself the importance of getting a car as soon as possible, as soon as she found her license, however, which she unfortunately had no luck with finding that day.

A good ten to fifteen minutes later she made it to the small cafe, simply called Cafe' Pete's. She walked inside, the smell of freshly brewed coffee instantly entering her nostrils. She made a slight face, wondering quickly if she wanted to work in a place where that was most likely the only smell she'd inhale, but she was desperate, and being that this was the only place that called her back, she knew she'd have to learn to deal with it.

She smiled at a waitress being the counter, and she politely informed her that she had an interview, and if she could please alert Jane Hensley. After a short moment of waiting, a tall woman with short, brown hair made her way around the counter, smiling warmly as she held out her hand.

"Jane Hensley," she said as she shook Kat's hand.

"Kat Megan's," she said back as she forced a smile, trying to make it as sincere as she could. She followed Jane behind the counter and into her office, where she sat down across from her at her light wood desk in a comfortable, red chair.

"So, Kat," Jane started. "Our interviews are usually pretty informal, I _hate_ those stupid forms they gave us. Anyway, where are you currently residing?" She immediately jumped into the questions.

"Pleasant View Apartments," Kat answered. "It's about a fifteen minute walk up the street."

"Great," Jane answered. "Do you have an experience with serving?"

"No," Kat answered honestly. "I was a busser for a few months back at home, though."

"Were you fired from that job?"

"No, I quit. I was trying to raise enough money so I could move here."

The two conversed a while more, Jane asking Kat question after question until finally, much to Kat's annoyance, the two got to talking about the weather, of all things, on the East Coast. Finally, a good hour and a half later, Jane explained to Kat that she had a high shot of getting the job, it all depended on one final interview for a man named Thomas. Kat thanked her, hoping she came off as friendly and professional, and she made her way out of the cafe'.

A gust of wind blew past Kat once she stepped into the cold, night air. With a huff she threw her hair behind her shoulders and started up the street, the moon shining brightly above her, the stars dim compared to the ball of white light. The roads were completely bare, and absolutely no one, beside herself, walked on the streets. Kat continued on, despise the loneliness, and she crossed the deserted road early to the opposite side.

Kat could see her apartment just ahead of her now, seemingly only another short two minutes away. She thought of her warm bed that awaited her, where she could lay down and forget about the fret over where her wallet was and if she'd get this job or not. The thoughts pressed her on, but still, a small shock of worry stung her neck when she noticed the three, pitch black alleyways she had to pass. With alleys on either side of the street, Kat had no choice but to walk past them. With a roll of her eyes she proceeded on, trying hard to ignore the biting and stinging cold that nipped her skin through her thin shirt.

The wind blew past again, ruffling her hair to the side as she approached the first alley. She continued on, unable to help but turn her head slightly to look down it, into the shadows it held. It was bare and completely silent, and before she knew it she was past it, just a buildings front length away from the other. A car drove by her on the street, it's headlights bright, the driver unknowingly calming Kat's small nerves she refused to admit she had as she started past the second, deep alleyway.

Her apartment was _just_ ahead now, and she quickened her pace as she came upon the third and final alley. She took long steps as she approached, her eye on the apartment that was _so _close, but her skin turned death cold and she came to a sudden and complete halt when the sound of low, off-key singing came to her ears.

"_Hey you, hey you, Devils little sister..."_

Kat's heart raced as the voice faded, it seemed _so_ close, and she stared in front of her without seeing anything as she remained standing, frozen on the spot.

_ "Listening to your twisted transistor..."_

Kat swallowed the lump that had risen in her throat, and she nervously looked to the alley, the shadows that engulfed it not helping matters as she finally took a step forward. It made no sense, this singing, but Kat was honestly a little too freaked out at the moment to even think straight.

_ "Hold it between your legs... turn it up, turn it up..."_

The singing was louder now that she was so close to the last alley, and all in an instant, as the singing faded again, her eyes widened to twice their normal size. This was the last song that had been on her iPod... She swallowed again, taking another step slowly forward as her body shook gently.

_ "The wind is coming through... can't get... enough..." _The singing faded off into long, eerie laughter, "_Ha ha ha haaaa..._"

Kat stood directly in front of the alley now, and she nervously stayed frozen, too freaked out to move. She waited, the alley suddenly silent. Her eyebrows met in the middle as she leaned over slightly, straining to hear. The wind blew passed, her hair flowing behind her while the alley remained silent. She turned away slowly, about to take a step forward, until suddenly...

"_Gotchya!_"

The voice was raspy and quick, and Kat let out a scream as someone jumped in front of her. The scream was short lived for the shadowy figure was quick to clamp a cold, leather hand over her mouth, muffling her shout for any help as it wrapped an arm over her chest. Her eyes went wide she struggled against the strong figure as she was dragged backwards into the evil alley, her sandals making all sorts of scratchy noises as she struggled like mad to get out of the somewhat painful grasp.

A short second later, however, she was suddenly thrown against the freezing brick wall, that hand still clamped over her mouth while the other pushed down on her chest, holding her against it. Her eyes darted around like mad, trying to make out who the person, a man obviously, was in front her, until a bright light was shone in her face, causing her to squint her eyes. She blinked rapidly a few times before the light was suddenly removed from her face to shine on something different entirely. Her eyes widened as she finally stared eye to eye with the man who had grabbed her, and under his hand her lips parted as her jaw went slack. She stared at him, a look of disbelief on her face as she took in his white face, those black, deep and dark sloppy rings around his eyes, that murderous, blood red, painted smile and green hair. A sinister grin slid onto Joker's face as he took in Kat's look of horror.

"Hello there," he said as he slid his hand off her mouth finally, exposing her slack jaw and parted lips. The man who held the flashlight – Rocco – switched hands, causing the eerie shadow's on Joker's face to change direction a bit, causing his face to look even more devilish. Kat swallowed, her lips going dry as she continued to look up at him.

"W-who are you?" She tried to demand in a hoarse voice. "What do you want?" She swallowed again as she continued to stare into this mans painted eyes, and she closed her eyes tight and jumped when he let out horrendous, clowny laughter.

"Who am I?" He repeated as he leaned in closer to her as she opened her eyes again, his smile showing some of his teeth. "Isn't it obvious?" He continued to stare at Kat, and he raised his eyebrows when she continued to just stare at him, at a loss of words. "No?" He asked. "They call me _the Joker_ around these parts," he answered as he straightened his body back up, and he held out his hand to the side before he placed it onto her neck. Kat's own eyebrows went up as she stood on her tip toes, her way of trying to keep her neck away from Joker's hand, but it proved useless, of course. _The Joker_? She thought to herself. _No fucking way..._

She swallowed again as Joker gently tightened his fingers around her neck, applying just enough pressure to keep her breathing clearly, but also frighten her that much more. "So, _Kat_, new to Gotham are we?" Joker asked this so casually, but at the moment Kat was more freaked out over that fact that he knew her name. "You going to answer my question?"

"Yes," Kat answered, and Joker nodded at this as he took his hand off her neck. Kat swallowed again as she turned her head to the side to stare up at the large man who held the flash light, another large man standing behind him with his arms crossed. She turned back to Joker, her eyes sliding up his neck, past his jaw and back onto his eyes. "H-how do you know my name?"

Her voice was lower than most girls he had encountered, and he liked it. Only one side of her face was illuminated by the flashlight, the other half engulfed in shadows, and Joker's eyes looked from her long, wavy and shiny hair, down to her eyes, her nose, her small put plump limps, and he ended at her neck before his eyes slid back up to her eyes as well. "A word of advice, Kat," he started. "Maybe try to make friends with somebody a little more _responsible. _In this city it's _not_ so safe to leave your car unlocked..." Kat's eyebrows met in the middle again as everything started to lock into place. "Oh and by the way, your _mother_ called!" His voice was higher, clowny and causal now. "She's worried _sick_ about you, ya know. You really ought to call her back, _Kitty-Kat_." He said this name so evilly, quickly and in such a raspy voice it sent a cold shudder up Kat's spine.

Joker laughed darkly again as he continued to watch her until suddenly his eyes dropped down to her hips. His eyes slid back up her body, and Kat froze as he touched his gloved hand to her waist, never breaking eye contact. He stared intensely into her eyes as he reached his hand out to draw out her keys. They jangled as he mindlessly tossed them over to Henshaw, who caught them easily, even in the dark, and after Joker pulled out her cell phone did Kat realize this was it. She knew her life at Gotham was about to be turned upside down...

"So, _Kat_," Joker started casually again as he started to go through her phone again. "Why do we have _so_ many calls from your mother on this thing?" It seemed he was putting all his weight into his arm and hand as he held her against the wall, seemingly leaning on her as he would against a wall. The pressure hurt, forcing her to have a hard time with answering, not that she even wanted to in the first place. Her mind was racing, her brain full of mixed thoughts over the situation. "Hmm?" Joker pestered on as glanced over to her.

"I left home," Kat said, her voice just above a whisper.

"Hmm," Joker grunted with a nod as he looked back to her. "What's a twenty-one year old _organ donor_ doing at home still? Don't chya know most kiddies move out when their eighteen?"

Kat frowned at this, a pang of anger striking at her heart, but given the circumstances, the pressure on her chest, and the thought of death being the only things she could focus on she kept quiet, realizing finally, once and for all, Joker was the one who had broken into the car and who had stolen her wallet. She didn't answer though, and she watched as Joker turned back to scroll through her phone, the pressure easing on her chest as he did so. With another nervous swallow Kat glanced to the opening of the alley. Judging by where the fat guy with the flashlight was standing, he left a good two or three foot clearance between himself and wall, a perfect amount of space for Kat to run through. She was considering this, but Joker's dark chuckling broke her thoughts, and she quickly looked back to him.

"Don't try it, Kitty-Kat," he warned with a slight shake of his head. Her body shaking and thoughts pushing the desire to run, Kat looked back to the entrance before she suddenly placed her hands on Joker's chest and she pushed him back as hard as she could. He stumbled back a tad, giving Kat the opportunity to start to run. She yelled out in pain, however, when she felt a hard tug on on her hair, forcing her head back, until suddenly Joker bashed the side of her head into the wall. She collapsed to the ground like a ton of bricks, that light bright on her face as she struggled to keep her eyes open. But regardless of the light, everything above her started to go dark and fuzzy, and just faintly she could still hear the Joker's grave voice looming above her.

"Kat, Kat, Kat," he scolded as he 'tsk-ed' a second later. "I told you not to do it." She groaned quietly as she felt a pair of heavy hands grab her shoulders, but before Joker could bring her to her feet Kat was already out...

–

Kat woke with a start the following the morning, her eyes popping open as the ceiling above her came into view. She quickly shot her body to a sitting up position, glancing around nervously and quickly until she finally realized she was in her own room...

Her eyebrows met in the middle as she looked around more slowly this time, and she paused, listening. The apartment was silent, deathly silent. Still completely confused, as her body woke up more, her head began to hurt faintly, and she touched her hand to it only to jump slightly and bring her hand back down when she felt dried blood on her hair. Whatever happened last night _definitely_ was not a dream...

With a shuddering breath she threw the blankets off of her, her body shaking slightly as she recalled her walk home from her job interview. She didn't know what to think as she remembered Joker's voice and appearance, his clown face paint, the way his coat flowed behind him in the faint wind, the way the flashlight had cast menacing shadows on his face, exaggerating all that shouldn't be exaggerated. So that had been the Joker. The one person who Kat scoffed at was the one man in Gotham who had grabbed Kat and forced her into a deep, Gotham alleyway. What were the chances?

She shook her head as she stood fully from her bed, both surprised and thankful to see she still wore her clothes from last night. She looked up to her dresser mirror, she could barely recognize herself, for her skin was pale, some of her make-up had run down onto her cheeks, her hair was a tangled mess, and a small line of dried blood trailed down the side of head. She dropped her eyes to the top of her dresser a moment later, and she furrowed her eyebrows when she saw her keys and cell phone on top of it. She swallowed as she grabbed her phone, wondering to herself how she could have been so stupid as to have just _stood_ there when she knew something was wrong. Even an idiot would have turned around, screaming for help in the night as he ran, but not dumb ol' Kat. Hearing him sing that song, so randomly, had completely thrown her off. As she thought about it further she didn't blame herself for just standing there. It was truly the most oddest experience in her life.

But now existed the question of why did Joker drop her off at her apartment? Surely he was going to kill Kat that night or kidnap her, perhaps even rape her... bringing her back to her apartment where she could easily call the police or run away just didn't seem logical, especially with all the trouble he had apparently gone through just to meet her. She nervously stepped out of her bedroom, glancing around the apartment before she slowly made her way towards the living room and kitchen. She continued to wander around, wondering if perhaps he had stayed the night, but her apartment seemed bare of any other person. She finally looked down to her phone, and she instinctively selected Selina's number, and just as she realized what she was doing it was too late.

"Hello?"

"Hi..." Kat said slowly as she stood in the middle of the kitchen, staring at the microwave that read eleven in the morning.

"Hi, Kat," Selina said happily. "How are you this morning?"

"Um..." Kat started as she blinked before turning away from the microwave. "Something... happened last night..." The line went blank as Selina paused nervously on the other end.

"Happened?" She repeated in a more serious tone. "What happened?"

Just down the street from the apartment, Joker had his own phone pressed to his ear, and he sat in the tinted car, grinning to himself as he listened to Kitty-Kat describe to Selina what had happened to her. His knee bounced as he stared at the floor, his grin expanding when Selina boomed on the other end.

"_Kat_!" She screamed. "Kat your kidding! Oh no, no, no, _no_! Kat you need to get out of there."

"Selina, I think it's fine, I-"

"No, Kat!" She yelled again, causing Kat, and unknowingly Joker to flinch. "He _knows_ where you live. He knows _everything_ Kat! You need to leave. Come here," she said suddenly. "Please, take a cab and get here as soon as possible. Did you call the police?"

Kat sighed on the other end. "What are the police going to do?" She wondered as she scratched the dried blood from the side of her head. "I don't know where he is Selina! I don't know how he... and... I just don't know!"

"Kat look, just get here right now and well figure it out when we get here, okay? Please?"

"Fine."

"Good," Selina sighed. "Just please be careful, okay?"

"Yes, please be careful, Kat," Joker repeated darkly after he hung up his phone. He cleared his throat before he leaned forward slightly, and he pointed out the windshield, signaling to his driver that he should start to move the car forward.

Kat grabbed her keys and placed them and her phone into her pocket before she headed out the door. She was wondering how she would pay for the cab with no wallet, but perhaps she could explain to the driver her situation, and if all else failed, make a run for it. She started down the stairs and past the main entrance to the building. Fortunately, a taxi pulled up to the curb, the door opening a short second later as a tall and skinny man stepped out, closing the door behind him. Thanking whoever for her good luck, Kat jogged past the tall man and up to the taxi, and she threw the door open before the driver had a chance to leave and she got in.

"Sparrow's Nest Apartments," she told the driver as she situated herself in the car, glancing out the window somewhat nervously. She causally turned to look forward when the car started to slowly pull away from the curb until her body gave a violent jerk when she came face to face with the Joker, sitting right next to her.

"We meet again," Joker said darkly with a grin as he started to lean over towards her. Kat's jaw dropped and she frantically turned around, placing her hand on the handle of the cab, but shouted out a second later when the Joker placed his gloved hands on her shoulders, and he forced her backwards, her head landing in his lap. He placed a cloth soaked with chloroform over Kat's face, waiting a good five seconds until her screaming and flailing stopped, coming to a complete halt. Completely knocked out, again, Joker placed the cloth into his back pocket before he turned back to look down at Kat, and he gently moved her light copper colored hair out of her face.

"Where are we going, boss?" Leroy asked from the front as he looked at Joker through the mirror.

"The hotel, Leroy," Joker answered simply as his hands slid back into Kat's pockets. He placed her keys into his pocket before he removed his other hand from under Kat to slide out the battery from her phone, and he placed those in his pocket as well.

"So what's so special about this chick, anyway?" Leroy asked as he made a U-turn at the stoplight.

"Not sure," Joker answered honestly as his eyes fell back to the passed out Kat. He slouched down in his seat a little bit before he looked out the window, deciding to just keep Kat's head on his lap. "Guess we'll find out," he added a moment later, watching as all the tinted scenery flew past.

–

The sound of a door slamming shut in the distance was quick to jerk Kat out of a very deep sleep. With a groan she turned around – it felt as though she was on a bed of sorts – and as the feeling of being awake took a toll on her body she finally opened her eyes, and she came to stare at an unfamiliar crimson curtain covering an unfamiliar placed window. Her eyebrows met in the middle as she looked to the wall with peeling, gray wallpaper before she looked back to the window. Where was she?

Her head began to faintly hurt again as she leaned up, holding her self up with her arm stretched behind her, and she closed her eyes as she placed her hand to her head. It all came rushing back, waking up in her room, the phone call, the taxi... how was it at all possible he continued to know where she was at any given moment? She opened her eyes and sat up on her own now and she turned her body on the bed to face the rest of the unfamiliar room.

She swallowed nervously as she stared at the sloppily made bed next to her, the big but old TV in front of the two beds, and that familiar bathroom/sink area in front of the door. It seemed as though she was in a hotel room of some sorts. She scooted herself off the bed to stand in front of the curtains, and she parted them, bracing herself for bright sunlight, but her heart sank when she saw it was ridiculously dark outside. She cupped her hands around the glass to drown out the dim lighting caused by the lamp next behind her, and much to her misery, she still couldn't see very far into the night outside. The light above the window on the outside of the building only illuminated what was around it, which was nothing but trees, bushes, and a field of dead grass. She couldn't see beyond it, but either way, she had _no_ idea where the hell she was.

The sound of a key being pushed into a lock jerked Kat out of her thoughts and she quickly turned around, and she stared at the door as somebody on the other sound seemingly undid some sort of a lock. She held her breath as the hand turned and once the door swung open Joker stepped inside, humming something that sounded sickeningly familiar as he closed the door, locking it shortly afterward. Kat watched as he placed a small keyring into his purple pants pocket before he came to finally look up at her with a twisted grin.

"Good evening," he said flatly, a hint of that clowny tone in his voice. He went about making his way further into the room while Kat glanced at the clock on the night stand. _9:45 PM?_

She stayed put by the curtain as she watched him turn on the TV before he plopped down onto his bed, his back against his propped up pillows. He relaxed his hands behind his head as the TV finally projected images. _What the fuck_? Kat thought to herself. Never in her life had she been so confused. Here was this guy, apparently the biggest and most feared name in Gotham, who had just kidnapped her and was obviously holding her hostage, and he's watching TV?

"Did you have a nice nap?" Joker asked casually as he glanced over to her. His make-up was smeared, the black running up his forehead and the once thin lines from his red smile had been smeared down, making that false smile larger and more awry. Kat made a face at him. Was this guy serious?

"No," she answered simply. "Where am I?"

"You're at Hotel du Joker," he said as he grabbed the remote from the end table. "Hotel of the the Joker," he translated.

Kat continued to make a slight face of disgust as she stared at him. She continued to watch as he started to flip through the channels. Gotham's most feared man didn't strike Kat as scary at all. If anything he was just creepy and lazy. Kat's body still shook gently, but she took a deep breath, trying to keep it under control. How could she be scared right now anyway? She figured right now was the perfect opportunity to get some answers.

"How did you know where I was going?"

Joker quickly looked back over to Kat from the TV, surprised by her sudden question. She was glaring at him, though he could detect a hint of nervousness in her voice. He grinned slowly at her. "You're gonna have to be a bit more specific," he told her. "There's been _lots_ of instances where I knew where you were going..."

Kat swallowed. "Today," she went on. "When you were in the cab."

"Ah," he said. "I listened in to your phone call," he explained simply as if this was no big deal. Kat's lips parted, however, at this information. Of all the people in Gotham, why had _he_ chosen _her_? Without another word she sat back down the bed, wondering if it was at all even possible to find away to get out of here. When Joker had entered the room she noticed he had locked the door, but that was only from the inside. She thought about it as she stared at the corner of the wall. She could pretend to be heading over to the bathroom, then quickly unlock the door and run for it. She remembered what happened last time she tried to run, but perhaps now, with Joker just _watching TV_, it could work. She took a deep breath before rising.

Joker followed her with his eyes as she slowly started past the TV, able to tell she was trying hard not to look at him. However as she got closer to the door he quickly swung his legs off the bed, and with a small and hyper jump he started over to her, brushing past her. "Where ya going?" He asked.

His sudden rising from the bed – Kat honestly thought he wouldn't do that – startled her, and she quickly stepped into the sink area of the room, turning around with a start. Joker casually placed his hands in his pocket, and he grinned widely at her, exposing his faint yellow teeth as he leaned against the hotel room door. _Fucking dick_, Kat thought sourly. "Bathroom," she answered in a small voice. Joker raised his eyebrows, still grinning, however he had closed his mouth now, and he nodded to the bathroom door.

"Go ahead," he said simply. Kat swallowed, unsure of what to do now. He continued to stare at her quietly as she just stood there, glaring back at him. He laughed darkly before he looked down, and he took a step away from the door as he removed his hands from his pockets. "You're not... _afraid_ of me, are you?"

Kat frowned at him deeper as he took another step closer to her. "No," she spoke up bravely and honestly. However a shock ran up her spine when Joker grinned to laugh that low, eerie, slow laughter as he bowed his head, taking another step closer.

"You should be," he said, raising his head to look at her again, his eyebrows raised. Kat held her ground, which _slightly_ bothered Joker, however it just gave him a reason to pull out his dear and beloved, black handled drop-point blade. "Would you like to know why?"

Kat breathed out of her nose as she instinctively took a step back, but all too suddenly Joker grabbed her with one hand, spun her around, and forced her to bend over the counter, her face stopping just a few inches from the knife he had suddenly pulled, his hand rested on the counter as he held it under her chin next to the sink. Breathing heavily and forcing to keep her head up as she grabbed either side of the counter, despite the heavy pressure he applied on the back of her neck to hold her in place, she glanced into the mirror to look up into his reflected eyes. He stared back at her reflection with a grin, her face expression obvious that he had caught her off guard. He licked his lips slowly before he leaned down, his lips next to her ear, as he continued to look into her eyes through the mirror.

"I've done things that even your _worst_ nightmares couldn't show," he started, his breath warm as it hit her skin, sending a shutter up her spine as she swallowed. Her eyes fell to that random knife he held under her, the blade placed just under her chin, and her lips parted as she raised her eyes to look back into his. "I'm wanted in over twenty states, nine of which I've never even_ been _in." Kat swallowed at this information, his bone-chilling, dark and low voice sent mad shocks up and down her spine. His eyes were glossy and emotionless as he stared back at her in the mirror, seemingly able to read her mind she felt. "I'm a _master_ of crime and _murder_," he continued to brag. "And an excellent hide n' seek player." He laughed at this, studying her face further, feeling enjoyment as Kat swallowed nervously again, and he admired her parted, plump lips. "So, maybe you show some _respect_, hmm?"

Kat closed her lips, sucking in her bottom lip to bite on it as her heart pounded. Was all that he said true, or was it something he had stolen from a book or movie? Either way, it was enough to honestly freak Kat out some, and with that knife held tight under her chin she had no choice but to believe him.

"Nod if you agree," Joker continued, and he slid his eyes from the mirror to stare at the side of her face that was right next to him, her eyelashes appearing long due to the angle.

"Y-yes," Kat answered verbally instead as she looked back down to the knife.

"I said _nod_," Joker repeated in a bit of a harsher tone as he squeezed the back of her neck with his bare, rough hand. Kat closed her eyes, and she nodded her head slowly, each time feeling the tip of the ridiculously sharp blade touch her skin, _just_ barely. "Good," Joker said. He lingered next to her for a moment longer until he finally leaned back up, taking his hand from her neck and he retracted the blade back into the handle before he placed it in his pocket, watching as Kat leaned off the counter, touching her hand to the front of her neck, her finger over where the blade at touched her. "You want to still try and _escape_?" He wondered out loud as she turned around finally, and he stared into her brown eyes. She slowly shook her head, Joker grinning slyly at this. "That's what I thought."

He waited for Kat to walk past him back towards the bed, and without a word she silently sat down on the edge of it, facing the window, her heart still racing as her body shook. Joker pressed his tongue to the inside of his right scar as he stared at her, and he gently sat back down on the bed, lifting his legs to drop them in front of him as he leaned back against the pillows. _And that's all it takes_, he thought to himself, and he let out a random, low laugh, unknowingly causing more painful shocks to run up Kat's spine.

a.n: and here is where the story gets GOOD. Kat is now in the presence of sir sexy psycho joker, himself (the lucky bitch.) hhaha anyway i want reviews telling me how you liked (or disliked..?) this chapter! the more reviews i get the sooner the 4th chapter will be posted :) thanks for reading, lovies.


	4. Appears I Am Built This Way

Despite the midst of fear, annoyance, hopelessness, and heavy confusion, Kat managed to fall asleep again. Disgusted by the hotel and unsure of what she would find underneath the covers, Kat dealt with the draft that came through the window, and she made a point to keep her back to Joker. Around the time before she remembered falling asleep, she could recall Joker getting off the bed and leaving the room, and her heart sank when she realized there was some sort of lock installed on the outside of the door to keep her in.

Now, she woke up gently to the sound of a drawer being slid open, and as it closed she blinked her eyes rapidly a few times before she squeezed them shut. With a small yawn she stirred, causing Joker to look up at her from where he sat on his bed. He watched as she slowly turned around, her body facing him now, and he grinned at her when her eyes snapped open to instantly glare into his. "Morning, girlie!" He said cheerfully, though it was already one in the afternoon. With a small grumble Kat rolled her eyes and immediately turned back around, her head hitting the pillow heavily. Joker frowned at this. "Aww, c'mon Kitty-Kat," he started. "Can't we talk about this?"

Kat rolled her eyes again as she stared at the wall, wishing desperately that this was all a very annoying, somewhat terrifying dream. She listened to Joker laugh to himself as he continued to polish the blade of the knife he had pulled on her the night before. Feeling awake now, Kat remained staring at the wall, wondering what the day held for her.

"Kat," Joker started up again. "_Kaaaat_-"

"What?" Kat spoke up, hostility in her voice. This took Joker by surprise and he looked up again. "What is there to talk about?" Joker grinned now, though he was unsure if he liked Kat's directness with him or not. She was clearly different than _any_ other girl he had ever been in contact with, with her bad attitude and bitchy ways, and she didn't seem to take him too seriously, as odd as that was. Granted she was new to the city, and obviously hadn't heard of him before, but this despite that it caused Joker to reflect on himself. What was _he_ doing wrong?

Obviously Kat's demeanor had changed when he forced her against the counter and held that knife to her, but whose wouldn't? What was bothering him was the fact that she just did what she wanted. She didn't bother hiding her annoyed facial expressions or tones, and she never held her breath nervously when he was around. It was completely different. Normally, Joker didn't have to _try_ to be menacing; it came with his attitude, with his face, his clothes, his _everything_. Why was this girl so different? The situation told him he had to simply try harder, though he didn't want to necessarily. She was supposed to be his toy he'd enjoy scaring just by simply walking into the room, face paint or not, purple suit or not, weapon in hand or not. The thought of killing her to just get it over with and find someone new crossed his mind, it would be simply, but as he continued to stare at her, finally noticing just how curvy her body was, he decided he'd give it a little more time. He liked a challenge, after all. Besides, there was just something about Kat that he liked, other than her physical appearance.

"Let's talk about _you_," Joker said as he looked back down to his knife. "What do _you _like to do in your spare time?"

Kat made a face that resembled that of disgust. He sounded like a therapist trying to get to know his patient before diving too deep in their problems. She closed her eyes, wondering if she could fall back asleep easily. "I don't do anything," she said sourly. Joker frowned at this, unable to help but roll his eyes. Kat continued to lay there with her eyes closed and a large scowl on her face, hoping he'd drop it.

"You don't like to do anything?" Joker repeated. "Sounds like you lead an _exciting_ life," he added sarcastically. "_I_, on the other hand, like to do many things. I like to relax, sharpen my knives, clean my guns, rob, torture, kill people..." the list went on casually, getting worse and worse the further down the list he went. Kat opened her eyes finally as she started to feel sick to her stomach. This guy was truly a disgusting, twisted _freak_ and completely unlike any other criminal she had ever heard about anywhere else. "It's all such fun," he went on. He looked back up to Kat as he folded the blade down, and after placing it into his pocket he drew out a new one, noisily flicking out the blade.

"_Weeee_," Kat said sarcastically as she rolled her eyes again, but she jumped violently a second later when Joker's knife went flying over her to land in the wall just a foot away. Eyes wide, she quickly sat up and turned around to face him, a chill running down her spine when her eyes fell on Joker. His head was bowed slightly and he frowned deeply at her as he held perfectly still, until finally he lifted his head. Now _there_ was the look and behavior he wanted.

"Perhaps there's something you should know about _me_," Joker started, and with a small sigh he stood from the bed. Kat looked up at his tall frame as her lips parted slightly. Joker stepped over to the bed, and he leaned over it, holding himself up with his arms as he hovered over and in front of her. "I'm not a big fan of the _sarcastic tone_, you see." His voice could only be described as a low grumble, and Kat swallowed back the lump in her throat as she looked into his dark eyes. "So, it would be in your _best_ interest not to take that tone with me, got it?" Kat slowly nodded as she looked at him, never breaking eye contact as he stepped away from her bed to sit back down on the edge of his own. He smirked as he looked at her. "Now, why don't you be a good little kitty and get me my knife, hmm?"

Without a word Kat slowly turned around on the bed to face the knife stuck in the wall. She wrapped her fingers around and handle, and with a hard pull the knife became unstuck, nearly causing Kat to fall back. She stood from the bed and circled around it to stand in front of him. Joker watched her, wondering to himself if she'd try anything with the knife, given her attitude on her situation already. But she was either smart or clueless, Joker wasn't sure which, and instead she calmly handed the knife to him. With another smirk he took it from her.

"Can I go shower?" Kat spoke up, figuring it would be better to ask this rather than just go do it, especially when he held a knife in hand, _and_ apparently could throw it with good accuracy.

"I don't know, can you?" Joker asked sarcastically. Kat's shoulders slumped slightly as she glared at him.

"I thought you said you didn't like sarcastic tones," Kat said rather sarcastically herself. Her heart gave a violent jerk when he looked up at her with a frown, and Kat's eyes widened slightly. "I-I didn't mean to..."

"Of _course_ you didn't," Joker growled, enjoying how she instantly began to back track in _fear_. He looked back down to his knife. "If you must," he said now with a sigh, referring to her shower issue. Kat quickly turned around and made a beeline for the bathroom, Joker pausing to listen all the while. Kat stepped into the bathroom and quickly closed and locked the door. She took a deep breath before she threw back the shower curtain, surprised to find it was actually pretty clean, and she quickly started it up. She had just completely removed her shirt, bra and pants when she heard a slow but heavy knock on the door, followed by the jingling of the door handle. She paused, frozen, as she held her breath.

"Oh, _Kaaat_," Joker growled on the other end. "I'll give you _two_ seconds to open this door before I do it myself."

Kat immediately reached behind her for a white towel from the rack, and after wrapping herself in it she unlocked the door and threw it open. Joker's eyes immediately traveled down her body before he slid them back up to her eyes. She held her ground, though on the inside she felt completely violated and disgusted. _Keep dreaming_, she thought in her head. _Because it will __**never**__ happen unless I'm dead. _

"The door stays _unlocked_," Joker said, Kat's jaw immediately falling open.

"_Why_?" She asked. "It's not like I'm going to try anything-"

"Because I _said_ so," Joker said simply in a serious tone. Kat continued to glare at him until finally she took a step back to close the door. She waited a short moment before she quietly touched her fingers to the lock on the door, but when she tried to turn it the lock didn't budge. On the other side of the door Joker stood with his hand on the handle, grinning to himself. "You better watch yourself, Kat," he warned. "One more strike and you're _out_."

On the other side of the door Kat narrowed her eyes, wondering exactly what he meant by that. Reluctantly she turned around to step in front of the shower. She glanced behind her at the door before she quickly dropped her towel on the closed seat of the toilet before she stepped into the warm water, immediately closing the curtain. She ran her hands over her hair as she let the water soak it, wondering _when_ Joker was going to come inside. But despite her nervous thoughts, Joker had returned to his bed to finish with polishing his knives, one slowly after the other.

After Kat's shower and once she had dried herself off, she frowned at her clothes on the floor, really not wanting to have to wear them again. They had already been worn for nearly two days, had touched the nasty ground on the outside, and now they sat on the floor of Joker's bathroom. She felt crying as she put her same bra back on, and deciding to go commando, she placed her pants on before her shirt. She folded her underwear in with her towel before she buttoned back up her shirt, and after pushing the sleeves up she opened the door and stepped out of the steaming bathroom, only to find the rest of the room was empty.

Downstairs Joker had just stepped into the large and old kitchen of the hotel, located in a hallway behind the receptionist's desk. His four closest thugs were gathered in there among a few others, and the chatter quieted once Joker had stepped through the two swinging doors. Rocco and Henshaw had been sharing a large box of pizza as they sat on the counters in front of an old TV set they had placed in there. Bacardi was working on his second glass of rum while Bozo was busy messing with hand gun. They all looked over to Joker, however, as his footsteps echoed.

"So," Joker said. "What do you got for me?"

"You talkin' about the house, boss?" Rocco asked as he quickly put down his pizza to get off the counter. Joker sighed as he raised his eyebrows.

"What else would I mean, Roc?" He asked. Rocco decided to not answer this question.

"The house is for sure, completely abandoned. Nobody goes around there, I don't even think anyone knows about it."

Joker nodded at this, recalling the house he had discovered far on the outskirts of Gotham. It was a large, pretty descent house, and he reviewed back to his own, private inspection. "Was the leak on the faucet in the master bedroom fixed?"

"Did it this morning," Bozo said somewhat proudly, not bothering to look up. Joker nodded at this as he tugged the corners of his mouth downward. "Okay, and did you call Henzley about furniture?"

"Did this morning, boss," Rocco said. "We're waiting on his call."

"Call him again, _now_" Joker said in an annoyed tone. "The sooner we can get out of this place the better." He turned around and started back towards the doors, glancing over at Bacardi as he did. "Maybe take it a little easy today, Bacardi? We got plans in a few hours, remember?"

Bacardi didn't answer, and instead watched as Joker pushed past the swinging doors. "What plans?" He asked as he turned to the rest of the crew. Everyone only rolled their eyes and shook their heads as they went back to what they had been doing. "Seriously guys, _what _plans!"

"The _bank_ you idiot!" Bozo shouted at him as he angrily lifted his head to stare at him. "Better quit that _now_ unless you want it to be _your_ head that gets blown off tonight."

Bacardi grumbled as he downed the rest of his glass before he capped the bottle of rum, figuring Bozo was right.

After the short walk back to room 69, Joker took his time with unlocking the heavy lock on the front of the door before he slid his key card into the hotel's lock, and he pushed the door open. As he stepped inside he noticed the bathroom door was open, and upon walking in further he saw that Kat was sitting at the foot of her bed now, staring blankly at the TV. She was wearing the same clothes, however this time her sleeves were pushed up and she had left a few buttons up top undone. She had heard Joker come inside, but she didn't look his way. He frowned slightly at this as he stopped in the middle of the room.

"How was the shower?" He asked casually. Kat rolled her eyes slightly but still did not bother to look at him.

"How long to expect me to wear the same clothes?" She asked rather rudely, disregarding his question.

"You know, Kat," Joker started as he stepped further into the room. "I _was_ going to take you out on a little field trip of sorts, but now I think I'll just go alone."

"Guess all I can say is _thank you_ for sparing me of _that_," Kat said with a sigh just as she reached out to change the channel on the TV, but with a swift and quick motion Joker grabbed her wrist and forced her to stand directly in front of him, and he squeezed her wrist ridiculously hard as he held it up next to his head. Kat's jaw dropped as she froze, and she stared up at him. "You remember what I told you about that _tone_?" Joker asked, deciding that he was getting sick of her careless attitude real fast. "For some reason or another you think you can just do whatever it is you want around me. Here's the truth Kitty-Kat, you can't." He looked into her eyes, soaking up the anxiety she portrayed in them before continuing. "Now, when I come back I want a _complete_ attitude change. Understand?"

Kat said nothing as Joker remained glaring at her. She swallowed nervously, dealing with the pain in her wrist as best she could, and she flinched a second later when he violently dropped her wrist to her side. "Try not to do anything stupid," he added in a low voice before he calmly opened the door to step out. Kat listened as he locked the door before she sat down on her bed with a pout, and she gently took hold of her wrist.

–

The first few hours went by slowly. Kat had turned off the TV after discovering nothing good was on and spent the entire time laying on her bed, thinking, the silence deafening and the loneliness nearly killing her. Finally, around five o' clock, Kat forced herself off the bed, and she paced about the room. She _hated_ the Joker, and she _hated_ being stuck in this hotel room. She felt disgusting, especially after using no shampoo and his soap, and she was angry over the fact that her life was at the complete mercy of this psycho; it was not fair. She glanced around the room now, wondering if there was something, _anything_ that could help her escape. She turned to the window and parted the curtains to look out. Her heart sank and her stomach dropped, however, as she stared at the scenery. Fields upon fields of grass and trees stretched beyong her, surrounding the hotel it seemed entirely. Not only this, but she found herself to be on one of the higher stories as well. Obviously an attempt to escape through the window and run wasn't an option unless she wanted to flirt with the idea of suicide. Strangely, Kat didn't think it was worth it.

With a defeated sigh she turned around and marched over to the shared end table. She picked up on the phone on top of it only to find a short second later that it was dead. She pulled open the first drawer of the table now, upset to see it was bare of anything. She closed it, and she took a deep breath before opening the bottom one, thinking that maybe, just maybe, it contained her phone or a weapon of some sorts. It was just as bare as the top.

With a grumble she turned around and marched to the small table the TV sat on. She opened the long and narrow top drawer and was surprised to see it contained a mixture of both socks and boxers. She raised an eyebrow as her eyes wondered over all of the normal seeming undergarments until finally she reached her hand in to move them around, seeing if she could find anything hidden underneath. With a growl she slammed the drawer shut before she moved to the bottom drawer, this one containing nothing more than a phone book.

She stood up now, bending over as she looked under both beds before she headed to the sink and bathroom area. The sink area empty, she turned and threw open the closet doors that sat behind her, and she paused when she stared at the clothes that were hung up rather neatly inside. She stepped up closer and started to part through the various shirts and pants that hung there, surprised to see they all looked like something any normal man would wear. She shook her head now with her eyebrows furrowed, and after searching on the floor of the closet she closed the doors, feeling defeated.

She sat on the edge of her bed and leaned over, holding her head in her hands until she sighed loudly and fell back, her hair sprawling out all around her. She stared at the ceiling, keeping her eyes open for as long as she could until finally her eyelids started to get heavier and heavier...

Seemingly five minutes later, Kat slowly eased her eyes open, growing confused when she saw she was surrounded by eerie darkness. Sometime after falling asleep she had apparently moved to the head of the bed to actually get under the covers and rest her head on the pillow. Now as she laid there, she realized how warm and rather cozy she was, however the undying urge to pee was too overwhelming to fall back asleep with. As she continued to laze in bed, however, the sound of deep breathing and faint snoring hit her ears. She paused, her eyes wide as she listened to Joker breathe, sleeping deeply behind her in his own bed. She carefully pushed the covers off of her and rose from the bed, cautiously touching her feet to the floor to head over to the bathroom.

As she crept through the darkness past Joker's bed, the thought of sneaking out heavily crossed her mind. After all, it would prove to be a ridiculously easy task, that is, given the Joker was a heavy sleeper. But the thought of her accidentally making too much noise as she went to unlock and open the door and Joker awaking quickly to drag her by her hair to her death sickened her somewhat; the risk was just too great.

She finally reached the sink area, and she flipped on the light. Her stomach dropped when she heard Joker take in a deep, long sleepy breath, and she froze, her heart racing. Listening further, she picked up the sound of Joker turning around on the bed before he took in another deep breath through his nose, and just like that his rhythmic deep breathing continued. She waited a moment longer before she turned on the light in the bathroom, and she closed the door as quietly as she could.

After doing her business and quietly washing her hands using the shower soap and faucet while she wondered to herself why she was even bothering not to wake him, she stepped out of the bathroom. However, as the noise of Joker's slumber came to her ears again, she could not resist the urge to peer around the corner to take a quick look at him in the faint light. Curiosity getting the better of her, she quietly took a step forward and peered around the corner. Her lips parted once her eyes adjusted to see his bare his face, free of any face-paint. She squinted her eyes as she took in the image of Joker laying on his side, some of his green hair thrown on his face, rising and falling due to the breath from his nose. She swallowed, however, when through the dim light on the exposed side of his face she noticed a deep, jagged scar in the shape of half a smile. As if it didn't look bad enough in the dim, shadowed light, she wondered quickly what it looked in normal light.

Finally she leaned back to turn off the light, and she silently made her way back to her bed, carefully getting under the covers before she laid her head down, facing the wall again. Thinking about it, she realized Joker would probably be a _lot_ more menacing if he went without the face-paint and if he didn't go by that ridiculous nickname. However, after discovering his somewhat normal range of clothes and his plain sleeping demeanor, Kat just could not bring herself to feel too cowardly in front of him. She was witnessing it first hand: Joker just was not as terrifying as Gotham thought he was...

–

After laying awake in bed and watching TV for a good hour alone in the room, Kat glanced over to the door when she heard it being unlocked. A second after, Joker walked into the room, the door closing behind him. Kat noticed his clothes were different today; while he still wore his purple pants he had on white, button-up shirt with a black vest of sorts over it. He had on his face-paint, of course, and his green hair appeared to be slightly wet as it hung in his face. She turned her head away when he looked up at her before he disappeared into the sink area.

"Where did you go last night?" Kat randomly asked as she stared at the TV. Slightly confused by her random question Joker furrowed his eyebrows.

"Why don't you put the news on," Joker told her, assuming the coverage would still be on. Kat made a confused face as she leaned forward, scrolling through the few channels until she reached channel thirteen.

"_...with thousands stolen right from Gotham's National Bank. This is the __**third**__ time this bank has been hit __**this year **__by Joker and his crew__**.**__" _

Kat raised her eyebrows as she listened to the anchor woman describe the apparent bank robbery that had gone down around five last night. The screen split to reveal a man named Commissioner Gordon on the other side of the anchor woman, and she asked him a series of questions about the robbery and Joker.

"You did that last night?" Kat asked as she turned to face him as he walked out now, her voice higher than normal.

"Looks like it," Joker answered back with a sigh as he rotated his neck around, cracking his neck noisily. Kat stared at him, recalling how he had appeared the night before.

"Why do you wear that make-up?"

Joker paused and looked down at her, unable to help but grin slightly. "Why _don't_ you wear make-up?" Joker asked back, causing Kat to frown as she slumped her shoulders.

"Because I don't need it," she said in her natural, lower toned voice. "You'd be a lot more scary if you didn't wear it."

Joker raised his eyebrows and he tugged the corners of his lips down as he nodded. "Oh _really_?" He growled. He looked the ceiling with only his eyes as his nodding ceased, seemingly thinking of something. "Is that what you think? _More_ scary?" He looked back down to her, but Kat bravely held his eyes with hers, recalling how she had seen this _normal_ man just the night before. "Let me tell you something, Kitty-Kat." Her new found nickname sent that familiar shock up her spine every time he said it, but she didn't let this show. "It's _impossible _for me at this point to come off as 'more scary'." He held up his hands to do the quoting motion with his fingers. He stepped over to her, and he stared intently into her eyes as he snapped his fingers, and he pointed to the ground in front of him. Kat made a face at this rude command, but once she saw the look of murder in his eyes she quickly stood to stand in front of him. "It's seems you're _still_ having a hard time with this," Joker said. "Now I said I wanted an attitude change, and quite frankly, Kat, I'm not seeing it." He leaned down closer to her now, bending down to her level. "Guess I'm gonna have to do it for you."

Kat braced herself for any sort of pain, but she grew confused when instead Joker grabbed her wrist and started to drag her behind him. He opened the door and took an immediate left in the hallway. Kat glanced all around the dingy hallway, noticing all the crumbs and trash on the stained, crimson floor. Joker opened another door and started down the flights of stairs, still pulling Kat behind him as she tried to keep up with his long strides on the stairs as best as she could. Finally they entered the lobby and Kat grew slightly confused as she followed Joker beyond the door that led behind the desk, and they turned to the right suddenly to head down a long hallway, dark wood double doors just ahead. Beyond them Kat could hear a TV and loud chatter, and once Joker pushed the door open everyone in the kitchen quickly refrained from speaking another word. Kat's eyes widened somewhat as she stood next to Joker, all the thugs staring back at them.

"Rocco," Joker started, letting go of her wrist as he walked further in the room, leaving Kat to nervously stand by the door as literally every thug stared her down. "Where are all those newspapers and article clippings?"

"They're at the desk, boss," Rocco said as he stared at Kat from the opposite side of the kitchen. "In a box in the front."

Without another word Joker turned to retrieve the box himself, and he smirked at Kat as he pushed past the doors. Kat swallowed nervously as the other thugs in the room smirked at her.

"Damn," Bozo spoke up with a grin. "He hasn't killed you yet?" The men around him laughed while meanwhile Kat's heart started to race.

"That's unfortunate," Rocco said, and Kat looked up to see who had spoken. The fat man with short, jet black hair smirked at her from where he sat at a table in front of a small TV. Despite the ridiculous nerves she felt she glared at him. "It's only a matter of time," Rocco went on to warn, and he quieted down once Joker stepped back into the room, holding a box.

"I want you to sit right here," Joker started, speaking to her as if she was a child, and he set the box down on the nearest, small circular table. "And read _these_ headlines," he growled just as Kat sat down in front of the box. He reached in for the first fully intact newspaper, and he slammed it down on the table in front of her. "See to it she does this," Joker said as he used his pointer finger to include every man in the room as he pointed. Kat's jaw dropped as she turned around quickly, and her stomach dropped when he exited the room. She turned back to face the rest of the kitchen, closing her mouth when she saw they were _still_ glaring at her. But just as quickly as it had all stopped, the chatter resumed instantly now, leaving Kat to finally glance down at the newspaper in front of her, wondering what this was all about it.

_'Whitmore Family Murder Solved With the Joker to Blame'_, Kat read in her mind as she narrowed her eyes on the picture under the headline. It pictured a seemingly nice family that included a husband, wife, and two children. _Murder_, Kat thought again, and her stomach dropped. _He killed that entire family_? She placed the newspaper to the side, and she sat up straight as she reached into the tall box for another newspaper.

_'Three Jewelers & Two Banks Robbed! Over Two Million Dollars In Cash and Jewelry Stolen_.' Kat swallowed as she placed the article down and she reached back into the box to draw out cut out squares and rectangles. The first five pieces were all pictures of people, the captions reading their birth and death dates until she reached articles that had been cut out. She began to read through them. '_Joker Escapes Arkham After Only One Month Imprisoned.' 'Kimberly Family Seeks Justice After Daughters Murder.' 'Joker Found Guilty of Three Accounts of Slaughter.' '4 Busy Gotham Bridges Blown.' _

Kat swallowed as she placed these down in the pile she had been making, her heart racing. She felt a lump rise in her throat as she continued through these articles, all about big time robberies and most of all, _murder_. Kat froze stiff, however, when she read the next headline on the fully intact paper. '_Anderson Twins Found In Warehouse: Sexually Abused and Murdered'_.

"_Ew_," Kat breathed and she closed her eyes tightly, and she threw the newspaper down, catching the attention of a few of the men. She swallowed back her urge to be sick, and her eyes snapped open when she heard somebody walking up. Bozo had just reached the table and he leaned over it to read the headline. He smirked a second later and looked up at Kat as he leaned away from the table.

"Ah, the Anderson rape," he said simply, causing Kat's jaw to drop. "Want some advice? Don't look at the picture that's next in the box." He laughed evilly as Kat made a huge face of disgust as she looked down. _What the fuck is wrong with all these people?_

"Hey remember Suzy Dwells?" Bacardi asked loudly now as Bozo sat back in his chair a good ten feet away from Kat. "She was cute."

"While she was alive," Rocco laughed. The urge to be sick came upon her again, and she clenched her jaw shut as she breathed deeply through her nose, the room spinning.

"A-are these... real?" She forced the words out, causing Bozo, Bacardi, Rocco and a few other random goons to turn and look at her.

"Of _course_ they're real," Rocco barked at her in a thick, Boston accent, a look of repulsion on his face as he glared at Kat's shocked face. He shook his head as he turned around. Bozo grinned at Kat's overwhelmed manner and he stood from the chair to walk over to the box again.

"Let's see..." he mumbled as he started to dig through it, going to the very bottom. "Ooh, here we go. Make sure you check out the date on this one," he said, winking at her when Kat looked up at him. She swallowed nervously as she took the paper from him. '_Natalie Palmer: After Missing for 2 Months Has Been Found, Sexually Abused, and Left For Dead'. _Kat bit her lip as she narrowed her eyes on the small date printed underneath. '_September 17__th__, 2011'. _

The paper slipped from Kat's hands as it landed on the table, and she stared blankly in front of her while Bozo laughed. "Yeah, not even a _month_ ago," Bozo said as he shook his head with a grin. "Joker was already in Arkham when they found her. He left her tied up at our hideout at the time in the bathtub in the basement. Police found her, she went to the hospital and died the night that article came out." He watched as Kat's jaw hung slack again, and she nervously looked up at him. His grin expanded as he went to touch the dark stubble on his chin and jaw. "Yeah... hey you know what! Ol' Natalie's situation kinda reminds me of _yours_!"

The room begin to spin violently as Kat slowly looked down to stare ahead of her, barely hearing all the men's laughter around her her. He was right, Kat knew. Breathing became a chore as the room continued to spin, and Kat felt ridiculously lightheaded. What if she ended up that way? At this point it seemed one-hundred and one percent possible...

"Don'tchya think?" Bozo went on, but the way Kat blankly stared in front of her as she breathed deeply answered his question without the need for words. He laughed again as he started back to his chair.

"Hey I heard when he first moved to Gotham he used 'ta eat the dead bodies of his victims," Bacardi spoke up. "Ya know h'ed go and-"

"He did _not_," Henshaw spat angrily at him as he turned his way, causing Bacardi to jump. Kat looked up to them with a nervous jump herself. "You're a fucking _idiot_," Henshaw went on. "You're thinking of someone else. Just do us _all_ a favor and shut the fuck up!"

Bacardi frowned as he slouched down in his chair and he stared at his feet. Bozo looked over to him with a small frown, only to suddenly look back up to face the rest of the room.

"I heard he used to collect _teeth_ from the people he killed. Is that right?"

"Yeah, that's right," Rocco said. "You know... I think the sick bastard still _does_!"

The room silenced instantly with the noise of Kat slamming her hands on the table to push her chair back. _Teeth_? Kat had finally had enough. The feeling to be sick nearly unavoidable now, she instantly started towards the doors just as Bozo leaped up to beat her there, and he blocked the door as he held his arms out.

"Please," Kat said as she looked down, clenching her fists on either side of her. "Please, let me out. I'm done."

Bozo smirked down at her. "Mission's been accomplished boys!" He said happily. "I'm gonna go take her back upstairs." Kat ignored the men's laughter and instead exited through the double doors with her head bowed. Bozo walked behind her as she slowly moped down the hall, past the counter and towards the stairs until finally they started toward the now dreaded room 69.

"Hey, don't sweat it though," Bozo said nicely and calmly as he reached past Kat to knock three times on the door. "Maybe you'll be different." Kat closed her eyes tight as Bozo laughed at his false hope, and the door opened a short moment later to reveal the Joker. He looked at Bozo, then to Kat's slumped frame, then back up to Bozo and he widened his eyes. Bozo grinned evilly at him, his facial expression telling Joker all that needed to be said. He smiled back at him and nodded his head once, signaling Bozo could leave, and he reached out to place his hand on Kat's back to lead her inside.

She quickly started away from him, but Joker was quick to reach out and grab her wrist, more gently this time. "Ah, ah, ah," he started. "C'mere. Did you read the headlines?" He asked as he forced her to turn around, and he pressed his tongue to his left scar, his mouth hanging open slightly as he waited for her to answer. She sucked in her lips and gently nodded her head. "I see," Joker said with a wide, cheesy grin. Judging by her body language, this was _exactly_ what both she and him needed. "Did you uh..." he slowly leaned down to her level, and he reached out to touch his gloved pointer finger under her chin, gently bringing her head up. "Read the one on the very bottom?"

Kat's eyes widened as she sucked in a giant breath, and she closed her eyes tight again as she nodded. Joker tilted his head to the side as his grin expanded into a full-on smile. "Yeah," he went on. "That wasn't long ago _at all_, was it?" He watched as Kat shook her head, her eyes still firmly closed. "Hey, look at me," he said now as he brought her head back up with that same finger, and he stared into her eyes once she opened them. "Now do you see what your dealing with? _Now_ have I earned some _respect_?"

Kat swallowed as she nodded, quicker this time, and Joker laughed lowly as he leaned back up, sending shocks and shudders quickly up and down Kat's spine. He smirked at her with a small nod of his own, and he finally backed up some. Kat sucked in a big breath and she exhaled it slowly as she looked up to him. "Did you... _do_ you... really collect... _teeth_?"

Joker laughed at again, and this time it was much higher pitched and cheerful. "Did the boys say that?" He watched as Kat slowly nodded as she nervously continued to look at him, and he chuckled again. "I did," he said honestly, recalling fondly the two large jars filled with teeth he had kept in his bedroom. Kat bit her lips together as she looked down, leaving Joker to sit on the corner of his bed closest to her.

"And did you..." Kat couldn't bring herself to finish her question. "_E-eat_ your vict-"

"Oh, no," Joker started as he closed his eyes and he shook his head. "No, no, no, no, _no_." His voice got louder with each word. "Now _that_ is disgusting."

Kat looked up at him again. After reading those articles she had a hard time believing Joker would think anything as being disgusting. But at the moment he seemed truly displeased himself over her question.

"Who told you that? Bacardi? The short guy with the beer?" Kat nodded at his question, and Joker let out a small snort of laughter as he shook his head. "Not sure how he came up with _that_ one," Joker said as he raised his eyebrows. "_Maybe_," he growled a second later, grinning at her. "Maybe I should start. _You_ look pretty tasty."

Kat's stomach dropped as she made a strong face of repulsion and she quickly took a step back from him, leaving Joker to laugh as he shook his head. And just like that, he was back.

"Hey," Joker suddenly spoke up casually now. He felt _so_ much better about using his casual voice now that Kat was even starting to fear that particular tone. "Wanna hear something funny?" He rose from the bed quickly and plopped down next to her, the bed bouncing slightly. Kat didn't look at him, but regardless of the fact he went on. "I saw your little friend, _Selina,_ at the bank last night."

At this Kat quickly turned her head to look up at him and she narrowed her eyes on his. Joker laughed gravely at this as he folded his hands in his lap.

"I did," he went on. "And on the way out? I _kinda _had my boys use the last of their rounds to take out the people in there, just for fun, and well... let's just say I'm not exactly sure if she uh... made it out alive." He grinned now as Kat's jaw dropped and she turned her head away. _He killed _Selina? "Don't be sad, Kitty-Kat," Joker went on now in his normal tone of voice. "She was so... _scatterbrained_ anyway. You're better off without her, _trust_ me. You're much too _smart_ to be pals with somebody like that."

Kat continued to stare at the corner of her bed as she processed everything she had been forced to over the course of the past hour. Now she _truly_ had nobody on the outside that could help her. Now it was just a given that she was going to be the next Natalie Palmer.

"Well, enough with the sulking," Joker said as he patted her thigh before he stood up to start towards the door. "Let's go."

"Go?" Kat asked somewhat hoarsely as she looked up. "Go where?"

"Your apartment," Joker replied simply. "We need to pick up a few things. You can't wear the same clothes forever, ya know." He winked at her and turned around a short second later to approach the door, leaving Kat to just stare after him, her jaw falling to the floor.

a.n. hope you enjoyed this chapter! please follow this simple equation: a moment of your time + a review = a faster update!

CW :o)


	5. No Way

Joker did not force Kat to follow him downstairs this time by her wrist, and instead allowed her to walk behind him herself. They headed right through the double entrance doors doors and Kat immediately squinted her eyes due to the bright sunlight once they stepped outside. She looked around at the barren and tree covered land around them until the sound of snapping suddenly came to her ears. She turned back to Joker and frowned when she saw it was him who had rudely called for her attention. With a frown she began to follow him around and to the side of the building. Up ahead she noticed a series of many cars, in front of which Rocco and Henshaw were standing. Kat rolled her eyes as this with a quiet and annoyed sigh.

"We all set?" Joker asked as he reached into his pants pocket to retrieve his car keys. Rocco and Henshaw both nodded, which left Joker to ask his next question as he started past the cars, Kat following Joker while Rocco and Henshaw followed behind her. "And is Henzely dropping by the furniture?"

"He's doin' it now, boss," Rocco answered. "Bozo and Bacardi are meeting him there now to bring it in."

Joker didn't reply to this and instead walked to the other side of a dark green Chevy Tahoe. Kat nervously stopped by the passenger side of it, wondering if this was the car she was supposed to go in. Rocco and Henshaw quietly moved past her to get into a white Chevy Suburban while Joker unlocked the doors and got in his own truck. He glanced at Kat through the windows and raised his eyebrows before he pointed a lose finger at the passenger seat next to him. With a nervous swallow Kat pulled the door open and sat down on the cool leather seat, closing the door behind her.

"Buckle up for _safety_," Joker sing-songed as he grinned over at Kat. She frowned at this, and with a slightly shaking hand she tugged at the belt next to her to fasten it on on her side. She took another glance at Joker as he started the car and began past Rocco and Henshaw, the car bouncing on the grass while Joker placed both this hands on the stop of the steering wheel. Kat raised an eyebrow at this, for the last thing she expected was for Joker to drive himself anywhere. It was a bit of an odd sight.

She finally looked away once they had circled the hotel and Joker took a sharp turn onto the main road, Kat clutching the seat, before he quickly straightened the wheel with one hand to accelerate the car. Kat rolled her eyes, _of course_ he'd be a terrible driver. She stared out of the ridiculously tinted window at the passing scenery as they drove into town. The truck was awkwardly silent, but Kat liked it that way for the time being. In her side view mirror she could see Rocco and Henshaw following behind, both wearing a large scowl on their faces. She sighed as she leaned her head back.

A good half hour later Joker pulled into Pleasant View's lot, and he circled around the building to park in the back of Building B, stopping the truck right in front of the door. Kat took her seat belt off and waited as Joker turned the car off while Rocco and Henshaw stepped out of the Suburban. Kat followed Joker's actions and stepped out of the truck once he did, and she followed him to the door. He opened it and gently forced her inside before he stepped in behind her, letting Kat lead the way through the empty halls. After a quick trip up one flight of stairs and down the small hallway, Joker stopped in front of Kat's door and pulled out her keys. She protruded her jaw slightly in anger as she rolled her eyes and she shook her head as Joker went about unlocking the door before he placed his hand on her back and started her inside, stepping in behind her. Rocco closed and locked the door behind him before he instantly started for the kitchen with his brother.

Meanwhile Joker had been casually looking around as he followed Kat to her bedroom. She stepped inside and turned around once she reached her bed. "What am I supposed to get?"

"Whatever you _need_, and not an item more," Joker responded as he headed towards her dresser next to the door, taking one, slow bouncy step at a time. Kat watched as he glanced over all the objects on it before she rolled her eyes and retrieved her suitcase from the under the bed. Just as she slammed it onto the bed and went to open it she heard a loud crash in the kitchen. She snapped her head towards her door while Joker was left to slowly look up and glance at Kat's angry face in the mirror. She heard laughter a short second later, and without thinking she stormed out of her room and stopped with a jolt in front of her kitchen once she noticed the broken plate on the floor directly in front of her.

"Are you fucking kidding me?" She practically shouted as she glared up at Rocco and Henshaw, who had taken it upon themselves to raid her fridge. Henshaw shoved the rest of a roll into his mouth while Rocco was left to shrug, a fork and bowl in each hand.

"Whoops."

"Whoops?" Kat asked, her voice cracking slightly as her eyes widened. She was about to go on, but Joker's voice caused her to jump slightly and she instantly turned around.

"There a problem here?" Joker asked from the doorway of Kat's room as he raised his eyebrows.

"Of course not, boss," Rocco said as he slyly grinned at Kat. "We were just informing Kat that her dishes look better on the floor."

Joker rolled his eyes at this. "Let's go, Kat," he said and he turned back into her room, disappearing around the corner of the door frame. Kat glared at Rocco a second longer before she stormed back into her room, and without a word she headed to her closet to toss the few clothes she had on the bed behind her. Joker leaned against her dresser, watching her all the while. Kat turned around and shoved her clothes into the case before she nervously looked up, and she slowly took a step towards the dresser. Joker expectantly widened his eyes as he looked at her. Kat swallowed; her underwear as in the drawer just next to him, and she did not want to go about collecting them with him standing right there.

"There a problem, Kitty-Kat?" He asked.

"N-no," Kat answered. Joker crossed his arms now as he continued to look at her, and he slightly tilted his head to the right.

"Let's finish up here, then."

With another nervous swallow Kat opened the drawer, and Joker smirked at her once he realized what was inside. He did not move, however, and instead focused all his attention on Kat as she went about gathering all her undergarments from the drawer to plop them into the suitcase. She was just about to head into her bathroom but the sound of yet _another_ crash rattled her brain. She instantly snapped around with another look of wrath on her face.

"Kat-" Joker started but Kat ignored him as she stormed out of her room and she stopped in front of the living room. She glanced down onto the coffee table where she noticed the glass and frame that housed her favorite picture of Paige was now shattered on top of it.

"What the hell is your problem?" Kat asked loudly as she looked up to Rocco. From the lounge chair on the other side of the room Henshaw laughed, bread crumbs scattered all over him and the floor while Rocco smirked at Kat from where he stood in front of the coffee table. He faked a look of shock and looked down to the frame before back up to Kat.

"Oh _no_. I didn't mean to!"

Kat clenched her jaw together as she took in a deep breath through her nose and absentmindedly she took a step into the living room, only to suddenly be tugged back by her shoulder. She spun around and stared up at Joker as he went about grabbing her wrist to gently pull her towards him.

"Kat, we're on on a deadline here, go _finish_. Rocco, Henshaw?" He looked up to his goons while he gently pushed Kat past him, his eyebrows raised. "_Knock it off_," he said sternly before he followed Kat back into her bedroom. With a huff she started into her bathroom, and she noisily and angrily went about collecting her hair brush and hair items, tooth brush, tooth paste and make-up items. She stormed back out of her room and dropped her toiletries into her bag. She was busy arranging her crowded suitcase in a way that allowed her to close it when she heard _another_ crash of sorts from the living room. Her jaw dropped as she turned towards her door while Joker stepped over to her. "Finish, he commanded as he nodded down at her suitcase.

Kat huffed loudly as she turned away. "Why did they have to come?" She closed the lid of her suitcase, and she pushed down on it as she fastened the locks successfully.

"I don't know," Joker said simply with a shrug and he turned around to start to the door. "You done?"

Kat glanced around quickly before she spotted her iPod on her dresser, and she snatched that, placing it in her pocket before she followed Joker out of the room, and she frowned when she saw Rocco and Henshaw had knocked down the curtains from her living room window _and_ spilled a drink on the carpet. She glared at them while Joker motioned to the door. He opened it, allowing Kat to step in front of him, and after glancing down both sides of the hallway he followed after.

Kat got into the Tahoe and threw her suitcase behind her onto the backseat just as Joker closed his door and started the truck. She put her seat belt on then looked out the window as Joker backed out of the parking space, busy wondering why Joker would want her to pack up her clothes and such if he was just going to kill her when a cellphone ringing broke her thoughts. She turned to Joker as he pulled onto the main road, watching as he leaned back to retrieve his phone from his pocket. He glanced at the caller ID and smirked a second later before he flipped open his phone. "_What_?" He growled.

Kat turned away from to look back out the window, figuring it was just one of his idiotic goons asking a stupid question, but Joker's sudden deep laughter caught her off guard and she turned back to him. "Oh, I'm _sorry_... here, try this one: '_Hello_, _Joseph_, how wonderful it is to hear from you!'" Kat raised an eyebrow at this, now completely thrown off while Joker laughed again with a shrug. "Hey, you said nice an respectful, so that's what you get. Now what do you want?" Joker listened for a moment, idly nodding his head as he took a left turn, the white Suburban following closely behind. "Hm... five will be perfect," Joker said now. "Calm down, Joey, it's not going to take long." Joker rolled his eyes now, and after this 'Joey' guy said something else, Joker hung up the phone without another word.

Kat had nearly fallen asleep on the way back, but as they drove past the old hotel she grew confused. She glanced out of the back window on Joker's side as he sped by it, furrowing her eyebrows now as she leaned back and looked at him. He glanced over to her, one hand on the wheel while the other was rested on his lap and he raised his eyebrows. "Where are we going?" Kat asked. Joker merely shrugged, and with a huff Kat crossed her arms and turned back to her window.

Eventually the small hills of dying grassed turned into a thick forest of trees and bushes, the two lane road winding in and out of the land. After a good five minute drive through this Joker turned right to start up a long, gravel driveway. Kat's eyes widened as she looked out the windshield, leaning forward slightly as she gazed up at the giant house. Granted it massive, it looked _terrible_, with white, chipping paint and dark red trim around the doors and window. Vines and bushes grew out of control as they hugged the wooden walls on the outside of the house. The wooden railing that surrounded the small concrete porch looked as though it was about to topple over, and she noticed the large window in the front by the door had a large, very noticeable crack in it. She was so busy frowning over her new 'home' she failed to notice Joker had stopped and turned the car off. He snapped his gloved fingers at her, breaking her trance, and she looked over to him.

Without a word he got out of the car leaving Kat to do the same, and she grabbed her suitcase before she closed the door. Clutching it tightly she followed Joker past a few other cars and a large moving truck as he made his way to the front door, his arms swinging carelessly at his sides before he opened the door. Kat braced herself for a house that would be twenty times more disgusting than the hotel had been, but as she stepped in she froze behind Joker.

They had entered a tiny, dark wood entrance platform, and just a step down sat the rather large and somewhat empty living room, complete with nothing but a large TV on the wall and some end tables piled in the corner. In front of her Joker took a step down to head towards the large stairs that sat on the opposite side of the house, leaving Kat to slowly walk in further behind him. She looked over to the stairs in front of her, and she could see the exposed landing upstairs, a thin railing going along with a series of three doors on the wall. She looked back down to glance in the living room, _very_ surprised to see how rather nice and clean it looked.

She expected Joker to start up the stairs, and she stopped behind him quickly, nearly bumping into him when he slowed down his pace to round the corner suddenly. Confused she followed, and she paused at the diagonal archway that led into the somewhat large kitchen, where she found Bozo sitting at the large, circular kitchen table, his feet up on it, while Bacardi leaned against the counter. Joker made his way inside, glancing around as he did.

"Oh, hey there, _Natalie_!" Bozo called happily once he saw Kat. Kat looked down to him, a ridiculously large frown appearing on her face. Joker noticed this and looked back down to him.

"Bozo, don't be rude," Joker said stupidly as he started to open the kitchen cabinets on the wall, glancing in each one. "Her name is _Kat_."

"Oh, my bad," Bozo smirked as he brought his feet off the table. "There's just so many similarities between them I-"

"_Bozo_," Joker growled as he looked at him over his shoulders. "I believe there's more things from the truck that need to be brought in."

Bozo frowned as he stared at Kat, and without a word he started out of the kitchen while Joker nodded at Bacardi, silently telling him he should leave as well. Joker shut the last cabinet and turned to Kat now, noticing how somewhat sad she looked. "Would you like to see _your_ room?" He asked. Kat looked up to him as her lips parted, and we walked past her to start up the tan carpeted stairs. Kat started up them as well, and once on the landing Joker headed to the second door from the left. He pushed it open and stepped in, Kat right behind him. Her eyebrows met in the middle as she looked around. Apparently Joker had made a mistake; this wasn't a room, it was a _closet_.

"Are you serious?" Kat asked as she set her suitcase down. On the opposite wall of the door sat a small, twin bed, a cheap end table next to it. A small closet door was closed on the wall to her left and a small, curtain-less window sat just above the foot of the bed, the blinds broken. Joker smiled widely as he turned to her.

"What?" He asked loudly. "You don't like it?"

Kat was at a loss for words as she looked around at the bright, plain white walls. "It's so small," she mumbled. Joker shrugged at this.

"Yeah, well," he started as he headed back for the door. "Deal with it." He left the room, and Kat listened as he made his way down the stairs. She took in a deep breath through her nose as she took another small step in the room, now right by the bed. She leaned over it and glanced out the window at the small, dead grass covered backyard, a thick forest just beyond it that stretched out for miles. She leaned back and turned to her left and she opened the door to the closet. The floor was the same dark wood as downstairs and contained a small white bench of sorts while five hangers hung on the rod up top just under a shelf. Fortunately, a full length mirror hung on the inside of the door, and Kat could just barely see herself through all the dust on it. She sigh she closed the door. She did not want to be there.

Stepping onto the landing, Kat watched as Bacardi and Bozo carried in a long narrow table, and they placed it on top of the entrance landing against the far wall. Bacardi immediately started back to the kitchen while Bozo headed into the living room, and he knelt down on the floor to start messing with the satellite box. With a nervous swallow Kat started down the stairs and headed towards the living room. She stopped near Bozo, and he slowly turned around to glance up at her with an eyebrow cocked.

"Can I... ask you something?" Kat asked, her voice low and quiet as she looked at him. A small grin crept onto his face, and after running his hand through his messy and somewhat spiky brown hair he turned back to the satellite box, deciding Joker's orders were much more important than this chick's question.

"Sure," he answered somewhat cheerfully. Kat stammered for a bit, and she looked down to her black sandals before she glanced up slightly to stare at the back of Bozo's head as he reached behind the black shelf towards the series of cords.

"What was that Natalie chick like?" Kat sucked in a breath as she watched Bozo lean away from the shelf. He sat down fully now, and he rested his arm on his propped knee as he glanced up at her.

"Well," he started as he looked down to his black shoe that peeked out under his baggy black jeans. "She was pretty fuckin' young. Cute too. She had this shoulder length red hair and was ridiculously skinny. She was nice though... but nice doesn't cut it around here." He paused and glanced back up at Kat, noticing how intently she was listening. Bozo grinned at this. "Yeah, she was really _sweet_," he went on. "And super shy, she was a real quiet chick. But uh, she had good reason to be."

"Why?" Kat pressed on.

"Joker," Bozo chuckled. "Man, not a day went by without him constantly putting her down or barking orders at her. It was funny." He closed his eyes with a laugh as he recalled the memories. "He was always shoving her around and we'd all laugh when she'd fall."

Kat narrowed her eyes as she frowned at this terrible story.

"Oh God, and then there were her _screams_ that came from his room every. Damn Night." He rolled his eyes at this now with a slight groan. "She got _beat_ up... nice girl though," he added casually as he looked back up to Kat's sickened face. Without a word Kat quickly turned around to head back up to her _closet _when Joker's voice filled the room. She turned around and watched as he carried a large box with a computer desk chair pictured in front of it.

"...and I'm gonna need you and the boys to go there once we bring the rest of this in," he was saying in his clowny voice as Rocco followed him, carrying a large box himself. They both ignored her as they walked past Kat, side stepping the stairs to head into a dark, hidden hallway just right of the stairs, the entrance located in front of the arch of the kitchen. Kat peered around the stairs and watched as Joker pushed open the only door that was in the hallway while Rocco continued down it to turn the corner, and Kat listened as he started down a pair of wooden stairs. She finally turned back to the stairs and headed up to her room to begin unpacking her few things.

–

A good half hour later just as the sun started to set, Kat had just finished loading the drawer of her end table with her toiletries when she heard Joker calling for her from the bottom of the stairs. With a sigh she placed her suitcase under her bed and opened her door, and just beyond the railing a few feet ahead of her she saw the Joker staring up at her, taking in her change of clothes.

"Joey's here," Joker said simply. "Why don't you come downstairs to uh... meet him."

With a huff Kat started down the stairs, Joker waiting for her. The sound of a rather noisy car engine outside past the ajar front door caused Kat to stare at it, and she grew nervous with meeting this Joey character. Joker started towards the door, Kat following, and she stopped in the frame of the front door while Joker proceeded with stepping outside onto the porch. Kat watched as the door to a black restored Dodge Charger opened, and a second later a man just as tall as Joker stepped out of the car. He had broad shoulders and muscle packed arms covered in tattoos. He wore a black muscle shirt and leather pants that shone in the remaining sunlight. A thin layer of brown hair covered his once bald head, and after closing the door he took off his sunglasses.

"Kat," Joker started, and he held out his hand towards her, signaling Kat to come over to him. She listened to his command and stepped over to him. "Kat this is _Joseph_ Wallace," Joker said. "Joseph, Kat."

Joey grinned at Kat as he held out his hand. Kat hesitated at first, but mentally slapped herself a second later and grabbed his hand. There was nothing scary about this guy. Truth be told he looked rather normal, in a wanna-be-cool sort of way. "How's it goin' _Pussy-Kat_?" Joey asked in a smooth, low voice. Kat made a face of disgust as she took her hand back, and she took a step back while Joey was left to laugh. "Where'd ya get this one, bro?"

Kat glared at him, not appreciating how Joey seemed to just instantly disregard her as an _object_. Joker shrugged as he started to turn around. "She was new to Gotham, so I figured I'd uh... _help_ her out."

Joey turned back to Kat with a grin, and his eyes slowly wandered down over her body, and he smirked at her small tank top that exposed her hip bones and baggy cargo pants. "You're not like the other chicks he normally goes for," Joey started and he leaned in closer. "Normally he goes for those taller, slutty chicks with the big tits, ya feel me?"

Kat shot him a look of anger before she turned around to march over to the porch. Joey laughed to himself, shaking his head as he headed over to Joker, who was now inside the large moving truck, and he walked up the ramp to step into the truck. "Alright, what are we doin'?"

Kat took a seat on the second long stair of the porch as she watched Joker and Joey converse in the truck, though she couldn't hear that they were saying. She scowled at Joey, unable to believe she had been _nervous_ to meet him. He was the _exact_ sort of man Kat hated: cocky, rude, and disrespectful towards woman. She continued to glare at him a moment longer before she shook her head and turned away.

A few minutes later Kat turned back to the truck, and she watched as Joker and Joey carried out a long, black couch with red trim, Joker walking backwards with one end while Joey followed with the other. Kat stood up and quickly stepped off the porch to move to the side while Joker started past, and Joey gave her a wink before he disappeared inside. Kat glared heavily at him before she stomped inside the house towards the stairs while Joker and Joey headed back into the hallway, easing the couch through the doorway.

Kat purposely stomped her feet as she stormed up the stairs and she slammed her door shut behind her. She angrily plopped down on her bed as annoyance surged through her over Joker's stupid friend. She turned her body as she laid her head on her pillow, and she stared up at the ceiling. However, the door suddenly barging open a second later caused Kat to jump and she immediately sat up as Joker and Joey made their way into the room that was not meant to hold three people. Kat's jaw dropped as she stared at them.

"...and this is Kat's room," Joker was saying casually as if he had been giving Joey a tour of the house, when in reality he wasn't very fond of Kat's slamming her door. Joey nodded with a grin as he looked around the tiny room. "Oh, and Kat," Joker started as he looked down to her. "Slam your door _one_ more time, and I'll _personally _see to it that it comes off." He grinned at her before he turned around to step out of the room, leaving Joey to smirk at Kat before he followed his friend to retrieve the rest of Joker's office furniture.

About a good hour later, after reorganizing her closet to make it more clothes accessible and switching her underwear from the top drawer to the bottom and vise-verse with her toiletries, Kat heard an out cry of laughter from downstairs. Sick already of being cooped up in her tiny room, she opened her slightly ajar door all the way and glanced down past the landing. She watched as Joey and Joker started over to the large, brown leather loveseat, each taking an end of it.

"I swear, these idiots can't do anything right," Joker was mumbling. "_This_ couch needs to be switched with _that_ one." He nodded to the longer, much bigger couch that sat against a smaller wall. Kat cocked an eyebrow and she crossed her arms as she leaned against the door frame, watching as Joker and Joey lifted the love seat to place it in front of the entertainment center shelf under the large TV before they each grabbed an end of the bigger couch to easily push it to where Joker said. After the loveseat was against the small wall, Joey plopped down onto the large couch while Joker went about placing the dark wood end tables on each end of the two couches. Kat watched with confused eyes as Joker took his time to make the tables straight, though he knew in the end his _loyal_ henchmen would simply screw it all up in a matter of minutes.

Now Kat watched as Joker plopped down on the opposite side of Joey on the couch while he lifted the remote, repeatedly pressing the button only to suddenly drop the remote on the couch in the middle. He leaned his head back and rolled it to the left to look at Joker. "Your TV doesn't work."

"_Really_?" Joker shot back sarcastically. "Because I couldn't see that for myself."

Joey growled as he faced forward again. "You don't gotta be such an asshole about it."

"And you don't gotta be such a _woman_," Joker said as he stood from the couch now. "I'm a dick, get over it."

A small smile forced itself onto Kat's lips much to her mind's dismay, but Joker's sarcastic and rude remark to his friend had been somewhat funny in Kat's eyes. It threw her off, however, seeing Joker act so _normal_ in his relationship with his asshole friend, and even seeing him be so picky and particular on how he wanted the furniture organized, especially after looking over those bone-chilling headlines.

But what was even more odd was what Bozo had told her about Natalie Palmer and Joker's relationship with her. It was obvious from his story, given it was true, Joker had been ridiculously abusive towards Natalie, and was constantly doing terrible, unspeakable things to her. But so far, since being taken hostage by Joker, Kat couldn't help but feel as though it was different this time. So far she could only recall about three times he had actually inflicted real pain on her, and he hadn't really said anything too hurtful, and he talked to her in a normal, causal voice a lot. What could this mean? _Nothing_, Kat thought. _It means nothing._ She figured that's how it probably was with Natalie when she had first been kidnapped as well. She knew it was only a matter of time...

Just as she turned around to go back in her room with a head full of depressing thoughts, Joker calling her name took her by surprise and she quickly turned around to him motioning her downstairs with his finger. With an annoyed sigh she started down the stairs towards Joker's still figure, and she stopped by the couch.

"Whatdya think?" He asked as he held his arms out to gesture to the living room while he grinned at her. Kat didn't bother to look around, and instead just continued to stare at him, and from the corner of her eye noticed Joey staring at her.

"It's awesome," Kat said flatly and she started to turn around. With a roll of his eyes Joker stepped towards her and quickly grabbed her wrist.

"Ah, ah, ah," he said. "Come sit with us." He violently pushed her onto the loveseat, leaving Kat to quickly sit up and move towards the arm of it as quickly as she could while Joker sat down next to her. Joey was smirking all the while.

"You got a spray bottle for your little _pussy-kat_ here? Cat's _hate_ that shit."

"No," Joker answered simply while Kat turned her head to glare at Joey. "But I got your parole officer's _personal _number." Joker grinned widely, showing his top teeth while Joey frowned at his friend. "And I know how much you must _hate_ _that shit_." Joker mimicked his friend's tone.

"Whatever, you don't have his number," Joey said as he placed his ankle on his opposite knee. Kat fought hard to keep the smile that begged to be shown hidden as she turned to Joker's calm, flat and serious face as he gazed at Joey.

"I do." Joker nodded once, closing his eyes as he did, and he opened them to look back at Joey. Kat turned her head to look back at Joey's dumbfounded face.

"Yeah, _okay_. What is it then?" He asked smartly.

"331-4257. Would you like to know his house phone number? It's 380-"

Kat smirked at Joey now while his jaw dropped. "Whatever, dude, I don't believe you." Joey leaned forward and was just about to stand but Joker was quick to interrupt.

"No, wait." Joker leaned back and brought his waist into the air as he reached in his pocket for his phone before he heavily dropped them to lean forward. "Let's _call_ him. Right now." He started to dial a number. Kat's eyes widened and her lips parted in a _tiny_ smile as she looked from Joker then back to Joey, who actually looked somewhat nervous.

"Don't call him!" He said quickly as he stood up now. Joker glanced up from his phone, mid-dialing to look up at his friend with a dumbfounded expression.

"Well _God_ Joey, I thought you didn't believe me."

"I don't," Joey said harshly as he pointed a finger at him, but he backed off a second later. "But just in case you've _miraculously _got the right number, _don't_ call it. And if it is the right number I don't even wanna know how you got it."

Joker laughed to himself now as he rose from the couch to follow Joey towards the front door, leaving Kat alone as they stepped outside. As if her reflections upstairs hadn't been confusing enough, Kat had no idea what to make of what had just happened. Currently she hated herself for even _wanting_ to laugh, but she couldn't help it. The way Joker had just turned the joke back onto his idiot friend and even turned him into a nervous wreck was just _priceless_ to Kat. But still, it just left her mind more muddled than before.

–

Fortunately for Kat, Joey had left a few moments after he and Joker had gone outside. But unfortunately for her, Joker's permanent crew had come back to the house just as Joey was leaving, and she wasted no time with retreating upstairs as they nosily barged into the house, instantly taking advantage of the new furniture in the living room. Kat had just reached the landing when she heard Rocco loudly speak up over the fact that Bozo had not gotten the TV to work yet. With an annoyed huff Kat closed her door.

All to quickly though a knock on the door caused Kat to open her eyes from where she lay on her small, firm bed, and she groaned to herself as she sat up, just as the door came to open. She looked over to the door just as Joker had pushed it all the way open. He still wore his same clothes, though sometime while she was upstairs he had removed his gloves and unbuttoned his vest and the first few buttons of his white shirt, exposing part of his chest, but it was easy for Kat to pay no attention to this as she looked up at him.

"Why don't you come downstairs," Joker said in an even tone. "For the toast."

"Toast?" Kat asked, bringing her head back as she shook it. "What toast?"

"The toast to celebrate the move," he explained. "Let's go."

With a huff Kat stood from the bed to walk past Joker out of her room. She could feel his eyes on her as she started for the stairs, but what else could she do but ignore it at this point. A large frown played on face when she noticed Joker's four main men in the living room, and she groaned when they all turned to acknowledge her arrival downstairs.

"How you likin' your room, _Kat_?" Rocco laughed, and she stopped in front of the two end tables on the end of each couch as she glared at him.

"You can sit _riiight_ here," Bozo said with a grin as he moved over to sit on the far end of the large couch. Kat rolled her eyes, making it known that she was hating _every_ minute of this and she sat down on the complete opposite side of Bozo as close to the arm rest as she could. Everyone in the room had ceased talking and now all stared at her, some with creepy grins and others with harsh stares. Kat ignored all this, however, and made a point to just stare at the various shot glasses that sat on the dark coffee table in front of her.

Finally Joker entered the living room from the kitchen, carrying a large and fancy bottle of Ron Zacapa rum. Bacardi happily cheered out upon this, leaving Bozo, Rocco and Henshaw to roll their eyes. "Kat darling, you're in my spot," Joker said as he stared down at her. Kat looked up to him, a look annoyance on her face. Bozo waited for Kat to turn around, and once she did he flashed her a grin and patted the cushion in the middle before he rubbed his hand in small circles on it. Kat narrowed her eyes on him before she angrily scooted over to the middle, debating with herself on who was the worst to sit by at this point. With a loud and drawn out '_ahhh' _from Joker once he sat down, he uncapped the bottle of rum and leaned over to start pouring them into the shot glasses. Kat crossed her arms as she arranged her legs in front of her to sit Indian-style while Joker finished with the last glass, placing the cap back on the bottle before placing it on the coffee table. Rocco and Henshaw both leaned over to take a shot glass while Bacardi was quick to the pick the bigger of the six, leaving Bozo to grab his own. Joker leaned back now, and he grinned at Kat as he handed her a glass.

"No," she said simply. "I'm _not_ drinking that."

"Uh, you _are_, and it's not debatable. _Take it_," Joker growled. Kat slumped her shoulders as she took it from him, and she looked down to the dark liquid in the transparent glass. Kat had never been a big drinker. She hated the burning sensation and she knew it was stupid and pointless. All her life she had friends who did nothing but drink, and who eventually needed alcohol to have a good time. Kat knew better.

Beside her Joker raised his glass, the idiot-foursome following his actions while Kat merely just looked over to him, and she rested her hand, glass in between her thumb and first two fingers, on her knee. "Well boys, the break out from Arkham was fun, the move was easy, and in the process we even gained a new member to _our team_," he sing-songed suddenly as he looked down to grin at Kat, leaving her to roll her eyes to the ceiling. Joker gave a quick laugh at this before he looked back to the front of the room. "So to the old Webster family house! Thank you, _dearly departed_, for leaving behind a place for us to dwell." With that being said, Kat watched as everyone put their glasses to their lips and lean their head back as the liquid quickly flowed from the glass to their throats. Joker immediately turned to Kat and raised her eyebrow, and he pointed at her glass with a lose, bare finger. "Better celebrate with us, Kat," he warned in a low, raspy voice. Having no need to finish his threat, he and the rest of the room watched as she brought the glass up to her mouth. She frowned into it until finally she tipped it, screwing up badly by simply pouring it all into her mouth. She clenched her eyes tight as she lurched forward as she quickly swallowed it, and she tried to keep the shudder than ran through her body in control as she leaned back. She opened her eyes when the room started to clap, including Joker who had never stopped staring at her.

–

After Bacardi had poured himself another two shots of rum, Bozo had finally finished fixing the TV, and after Rocco and Henshaw had finished the rest of the pizza they had gone and bought a good few hours earlier, they all headed out of the living room to their rooms, Bozo entering the bedroom on the left of Kat's door while Rocco, Henshaw and Bacardi started down the hidden hallway to go down to the basement, leaving Kat and Joker alone in the living room. All the lights on the main level of the house were off, leaving the TV as the only source of light as it doused the living room and part of the entryway in deep, tall and oblong shadows. The volume was low but easy to hear, given there was no noise anywhere else, and Kat stared at the TV without really seeing it. Joker remained in his same spot with his ankle placed on his opposite knee, his right arm rested on the arm of the couch while his left was placed up on the top of the couch, behind Kat. He stared at the TV, motionless like Kat, until finally he leaned forward to grab the bottle of the rum.

Kat turned her head with his sudden movement, and she watched as Joker took off the cap, placing it in his lap before he tipped the bottle to his lips to take a sip. Either mistaking Kat's look as that of wanting him to share or just simply deciding she needed some too, he handed her the bottle. She raised her eyes from the bottle into his glazed ones, and with a small smile and snort of laughter she shook her head and looked away.

"C'mon," Joker said, his voice low, dark, and above all creepy. "Drink with me, Kitty-Kat."

"No," Kat said. "I don't drink." She turned her head to Joker with a scowl when he let out a sudden laugh.

"Guess you'll be starting tonight." He raised his eyebrows as he waited for her to take it. On the inside Kat couldn't help but feel weary about him being so persistent with this, but she kept on her brave and peeved face as she took the wide-set bottle. She took the tiniest sip possible before she handed it back to Joker, practically loathing the flavor. Joker chuckled as her face morphed in that of a sour expression before she quickly corrected it. "Is it really that bad Kat, honestly?" Kat didn't answer, and this only drove his patience further. Remaining quiet, he let his eyes roam over her body, taking in her slender arms, the faint cleavage her tank top provided, and her slim legs underneath her thin cargo pants as she bent them at the knees with her bare feet, toes painted black, on the coffee table. He licked his lips before his eyes wandered back to stare at the side of her face. "Do it again," he spoke up suddenly as he held the bottle back to her. "And take a bigger sip this time."

Kat turned back to him, a slight expression of worry falling upon her face as she frowned deeply at him, her lips parting slightly in confusion. She looked into his eyes before she lowered them to the bottle he held towards her. With a nervous swallow she looked back up to him, and he raised his eyebrows, expanding the sloppy black rings around them, and he shook the bottle, swishing the liquor inside, exposing his lack of patience. A shock ran up her spine as she took in his emotionless, serious face, his body perfectly still now as he waited. With a slightly shaking hand Kat grabbed the bottle and took it from him, joining her free hand on the other side of the bottle. She looked at him a moment longer before she turned away to place it at her lips and gently tip it back.

As if this wasn't good enough, Joker leaned forward to gently place a finger on the bottom of the bottle, and he slowly lifted up, forcing more liquid to be poured into Kat's mouth as he stared at her lips intently. She quickly brought the bottle down, and with a small cough her hand flew to her chest as she squeezed her eyes, trying to ignore the bitter taste and feeling that flowed throughout her while Joker laughed deeply, taking the bottle back. She finally opened her eyes, but said nothing and didn't look at him as she looked back to the TV.

"So what's with this whole hostile, bitchy attitude you try to put on?" Joker's voice broke through the faint voices on the TV and the all over silence. Kat looked over to him, her eyes wandering down to the bottle quickly before she looked back to theTV.

"I don't have to _try_," Kat said in her lower voice, sounding rather offended. "It's who I am."

"Who you are, huh?" Joker repeated, a snort of laughter escaping from his nose, and Kat looked back to him with a glare. "I don't believe that for a _minute_."

"Well you should."

"You gonna make me?"

Kat's eyebrows met in the middle as she looked at him, her stomach dropping suddenly and she turned away, the action suddenly causing her head to spin, though she figured it was safe to blame it on the alcohol. She ignored him, deciding she did not have to sit here and explain it to him.

"You think you're so independent and don't have to play by anybody's rules, and yet here you are, _doing_ as I tell you."

"I'm following your orders, isn't that what I'm supposed to be doing here?" Kat shot back at him as she turned her head to glare heavily into his eyes. Joker merely shrugged at this, closing his eyes slowly before he looked back into hers.

"I don't know, I say do what you wanna do."

"That's bullshit," Kat said as she turned back away, and she tilted her head to the side as she stared back up at the TV, a large, noticeable scowl on her face. She could feel Joker staring at her, but suddenly it was hard not to acknowledge it.

"It's not, Ka-_t_," he said, pronouncing the 'T' heavily. "You can do what _ever_ you want. You just gotta be aware that there's a _reaction_ for every action." Kat looked over at him and he nodded his head once in finality. What was he even talking about now? Kat stared at him a moment longer before she turned away finally. "So why don't you show me who you _really_ are." Joker stared at her, and he drummed his fingers on the bottle as he waited for her to answer.

"You know who I _really_ am," Kat said as she widened her eyes in a sarcastic manner, and she shook her head side to side. "You obviously stalked me long enough to know yourself."

Joker cleared his throat. "No," he started in that higher, clowny voice. "I stalked a girl who was new to the city and kept her guard up to everyone in it, who moved here on a desperate whim to escape her _parents_. That wasn't _you_."

Kat rolled her eyes and she tilted her head back as she sunk down further into the couch, and she closed her eyes, the small action causing her head to spin even more. "What's the point?" She asked now. "You'll just kill me before you even get a chance to know."

Joker grinned widely at this, admiring how easy it was for her to speak her mind. He already knew Kat's biggest personality trait at this point _was_ her strong attitude, but he knew there had to more to her than just that. All he had to do was probe a little deeper. "Kill you?" Joker asked now. "I'm not gonna kill you, Kat." This was the truth, but he refrained from speaking the rest of his sentence. _At least not yet_. He wasn't ready to kill her, at least not any time soon. She was so different from any other girl, brief or not, in his life, and already he was having too much fun ignoring her. It made him feel good to know she was at his complete mercy, and that he could do whatever he wanted with her with nothing holding him back. She was a challenge at this point, and unlike the rest he'd have to try harder with this one.

Though on the other hand, however, maybe not... having her read those headlines had actually freaked her out more than he thought it would. Perhaps she was just as easy as the rest had been. But now, as he sat leaning in the corner of the couch, staring at her long eyelashes, small nose and plump lips, he thought maybe he could take a different approach with her. He wasn't going constantly disregard her as a nobody or abuse her in any way. Rather, he was going to play tricks with her _mind; _he was going to confuse her and leave her not knowing right from wrong, and most importantly he was going to leave her not knowing who she was anymore as she spiraled into a world of uncertainty. She was a game, and he was going to have as much fun as possible.

Kat looked over to him now with a look of doubt. Like she believed that. It had happened to the rest. What was so different or special about her? But just before she could turn back to the TV Joker held out the bottle one last time, and he grinned at her. "One more drink?"

"No," Kat said sternly, and she turned away from him as she crossed her arms on her lap.

"You can take one more drink or sleep in the basement," Joker said casually as he tilted his head to the side. Kat quickly looked over to him, and she took in a deep breath through her nose as she snatched the bottle from him. "A _big_ sip," Joker said now just as she brought the bottle back to her mouth. "I'll count down from three," he explained. Without a word Kat tipped the bottle to her lips. "Three... two... _one_," Joker growled, and he smiled as Kat coughed out again, nearly dropping the bottle. The liquor burned her throat and stung her mouth, and she couldn't breath through her nose for a moment as she closed her eyes, waiting for the terrible taste to pass. Next to her Joker capped the half empty bottle and placed it back on the coffee table.

Kat wondered desperately in her mind why he was so persistent on her drinking so much, knowing that he _had _to have a reason for it. In her sudden fuzzy mind she wondered what was going to become of her anytime now. With the alcohol flowing through her she finally opened her eyes and looked up to the TV screen, the room moving once her head hit the back of the couch. She could feel how droopy her eyes were, even when she tried to widen them, and a warm sensation came about her. She _hated_ drinking for these reasons, and she wondered now how she was going to get up those stairs to go to bed.

Joker parted his lips slightly as he twisted his tongue in his mouth, watching Kat as she seemed to sink even further into the couch. Fortunately for him he always got the lightweights. Kat seemed to be intently watching the TV now and he turned to it finally himself. Kat silently watched as two women attempted to move a giant refrigerator a few inches to the right, both ladies cursing to themselves as they struggled. She wasn't sure what show was on but but she couldn't help the small laughter that came from the pit of her stomach. The scene reminded her of watching Joker and Joey, and she rolled her head against the couch to look at him, Joker already looking at her.

"Is Joey _really_ your friend?" She asked, and Joker grinned at her slightly slurred words. With a small sigh he sat forward a little. "Or is he just some stupid guy that works for you?"

"He's really my friend," Joker said honestly. "Known him for six years," he stated proudly. Kat continued to stare into his eyes, wondering how on earth a guy like Joker could ever maintain a friendship. She didn't believe him, however. Or at least she didn't want to. She finally looked away from him, the urge of getting into her bed to sleep off the dizziness to tempting to pass up. Without a word she leaned forward, too fast, however, and she took a moment to steady herself, resisting the urge to grin. Joker watched her, the evidence proving Kat was pretty tipsy, and he smirked as he watched her slowly stand up.

Kat looked over to the stairs, her goal, and she took a step forward. _Easy,_ she thought. _I can do this_. But with her second step, just as she got past Joker, her leg gave a jolt of numbness and she fell over, aiming herself away from Joker as best as she could. Joker's smirk turned into a full on grin as Kat held her spinning head, sitting now only a few inches from him, her outstretched right leg against his.

"Walk much, kiddo?" He asked as he looked down at her, and his grin widened, exposing his teeth as Kat turned her head slightly to look up to him with only her eyes, her head slightly bowed. She wasn't sure if it was the sudden bright light from the TV or the rum, but as she stared into his eyes she couldn't help but notice they were not black or colorless, but rather a deep shade of blue. Her lips parted due to this discovery, and suddenly she couldn't hear the TV, rather all she could make out was the loud sound of her heart beating faster and faster as Joker started to lean in, closer and closer.

Her heavy eyes immediately slid closed once Joker touched his painted lips to hers, and she tilted her head back as if it weighed tons. Mindlessly she returned the kiss, puckering her own lips against his surprisingly rather soft ones. Her barely sober mind was _screaming_ at her, shouting at her to stop, to pull back and push him off, but her body was so relaxed and Joker's lips were so warm; she couldn't move.

Her breath hitched in her throat when Joker touched his hand to her hip, and he moved his body closer to hover above her. Kat kept herself propped up on her forearms behind her, and a shudder ran through her body when she felt Joker lick her bottom lip before he pulled away slightly. She opened her eyes just as Joker placed his hand on the side of her face,and she braced herself for pain, only to grow confused when he parted her lips further with his thumb. She accepted his tongue into her mouth, her slightly drunken body tingling like mad as she kissed him back with just as much urgency. After a short minute of this, however, Joker left her with one final kiss before he chuckled against her lips.

"Go to bed, _Kitty-Kat_," he said and he leaned away from her now, taking in her shocked and confused face. Kat swallowed nervously before she tried again to stand up, and with a small sway she focused heavily on walking toward the stairs. She clutched the railing tightly as she moved up them, barely feeling her footsteps. She paused once she got to the landing, however, and she took a moment to turn around and glance down at Joker as he still sat on the couch. She felt that familiar shock run up her spine and painfully sting her neck as she wondered what the _fuck_ had just happened. Her mind confused and her body still reacting from the kiss, Kat entered her room while Joker rest assured on the couch, knowing he had won the first round of the game.


	6. Good God

The morning sunlight shone through the broken blinds on Kat's window, causing lines of golden sun to be projected into her otherwise dark bedroom. One line in particular stretched itself across her eyes, and with a grumble she turned around from her back onto her side to face the door. She wondered vaguely what time it was, hoping it was still early, until she heard a burst of loud laughter from from downstairs. She took in a deep breath through her nose, and she found herself hoping Joker wasn't one to force her out of bed. She opened her eyes and stared at the wall in front of her, trying to ignore the voices from downstairs as she thought about how the lines of orange light on the wall made it look a little less plain.

A short minute later she heard what sounded like a shower starting from behind the wall the head of her bed was against, the noise breaking her thoughts. Mapping out the house in her mind she figured it was most likely Joker who had started the shower, and after figuring this out she debated with herself on whether or not she wanted to get up for good. Unfortunately she had the undying urge to brush her teeth, and her bed was a little too firm for her tastes, so eventually after feeling over her teeth with her tongue she finally sat up to reach to the end table drawer to pull out her toothbrush and toothpaste.

After re-adjusting her blue plaid pajama pants she quietly opened her door and peered over the landing. She felt her stomach drop, however, when her eyes came to focus on the couch, and the memories of the very random, very uncalled for kiss she had shared with Joker came flooding back to her mind. She quickly turned away from it, deciding that she didn't want to think about it as she started down the stairs. Just past the arch of the kitchen she saw Henshaw standing in front of the coffee pot while Rocco, Bacardi and Bozo sat at the table, loudly laughing and talking about something unrelated. Fortunately they either ignored her or didn't see her as she walked past, and she quickly headed for the bathroom door that sat just to the left of the stairs.

After running back upstairs to return her toothbrush, Kat started back down stairs for a glass of water, deciding it was best to perhaps just deal with Joker's thugs and show them that they were unable to bother her. She knew this would hard, however, for right when she stepped into the kitchen Bozo was quick to speak up while Rocco and Henshaw rolled their eyes in annoyance.

"Mornin' sunshine!" He called out in a sarcastic, happy tone. Kat rolled her eyes as she stepped further into the kitchen to peer into the fridge, only to slam the door shut when she noticed it was empty. She turned and started opening the cupboards. "Whatchya lookin' for?" He pressed on, but Kat ignored him further as she continued her search. Finally she found the glasses, and she took one out before she turned on the sink to fill it, wondering in her mind if the water was safe to drink. She decided she didn't care, and she took a small sip, satisfied to find that the water was fine. A little warm, but fine. Bozo grinned at her when she turned around to lean against the counter. "Want some coffee?"

Kat narrowed her eyes on him, wondering what his deal was. "No," she said rudely. "I don't drink coffee."

"Don't you got some place to be?" Rocco asked now as he glared at her over his newspaper, his eyes full of hate. Kat took another sip from her glass as she stared at him.

"Not really," she answered simply with a shrug. Bozo chuckled to himself as Rocco threw down the paper and he stood from his chair in the corner to circle around the table, exiting the kitchen without a word while Henshaw followed him to the basement.

"Damn, how'd you do that so easily?" Bozo asked now as he looked back up to Kat. She raised an eyebrow and shook her head slightly.

"Do what?"

"Get them to leave. Been trying all morning," he said, causing a small laugh from Bacardi. Kat remained staring at him before she finally looked away. "Hows that sink water? I was kinda scared to drink it-"

"What's your deal?" Kat asked as she looked back to him with narrowed eyes. Bacardi looked up from the table to Kat with wide, curious eyes before glancing at Bozo. Kat remained staring at Bozo's dumbfounded look until he slowly grinned at her, shrugging after.

"Well I figured I ought to be nice to the girl who's only gonna _die_ soon." He flashed her a toothy smile as he waited for a look of sadness or horror to strike her face. But it didn't. Rather, she remained staring at him until finally she rolled her eyes and shook her head. Bozo frowned at this now. "Okay, you're _right_, that was rude. If Joker's not gonna kill 'ya than maybe cancer will. Wanna smoke?"

Kat turned back to him and watched as he pulled a pack of Marlboro Reds from his shirt pocket, and he raised his dark eyebrows as he looked at her, and for the first time Kat realized how bright green his eyes were. She grinned slightly before she shook her head, and she turned to dump the rest of her water in the sink. "I don't smoke," Kat said now as she took a step toward the kitchen archway.

Bozo smirked at her as he shook his head, thinking to himself she must have a thing for dental hygiene. "Doesn't drink coffee, doesn't smoke. Bet ya don't drink wine either, huh?"

Kat turned to throw him an annoyed look before she suddenly jumped in surprise when she felt her body collide with someone else's. She turned to face Joker as he placed his hands on her hips to gently move her out of the way. "She may not drink wine but we both know she likes _rum_," he said darkly, winking at her before he made his way into the kitchen. Slightly dumbfounded and trying to ignore that shock that ran down her spine, Kat turned around to watch as Joker opened the fridge himself, and once he noticed that it was empty he closed it with a sigh. She couldn't help but let her eyes wander over him, taking in his appearance as he wore black shoes and black pinstripe pants with black suspenders connected to them. He wore a dark gray button-up shirt with the sleeves pushed up to his elbows while the collar was undone and lose around his neck, and black leather gloves on his hands. His hair was wet and damp, his make-up fresh and sloppily done. Kat stared at him a moment longer, her eyes wandering up the suspenders before she finally looked away.

"Hey boss I was just about to go for a smoke," Bozo started as he stood up now, deciding it better not to ask what Joker meant about the rum. "Wanna come?"

"Why not," Joker said with a shrug. "Wanted to talk to you anyway. Coming Kitty-Kat?" Joker turned his head towards her and raised his painted eyebrows as he stayed by the counter.

"Ah no, she doesn't smoke," Bozo said, flashing her a grin as he started under the arch. Joker faked a gasp at this.

"Doesn't smoke?" He asked as he tilted his head. "Well... isn't that a shame." Kat's eyebrows met in the middle with confusion as she watched him walked past her. "Let's go," he threw over his shoulders, and with slumped shoulders she followed them out the door.

Outside, Bozo sat down on the first stair of the concrete porch while Joker stepped off it to stand on the gravel. Kat stepped off the porch and leaned against the wooden railing while Bozo reached out to hand Joker his pack and lighter. Kat watched with disgusted eyes as Joker picked one from the pack and lit it up with ease, blowing out a thin cloud of smoke as he handed Bozo back the items. He looked to Kat as he took another drag, holding out his cigarette to her a second later with a grin. She crossed her arms and turned away, her nose in the air, leaving Joker to laugh out the smoke.

"So whats up for today?" Bozo asked as he squinted up at Joker due to the sunlight directly in front of him. Joker ashed his cigarette before he looked to Bozo.

"We have to go talk to Mister _Conrad Gibbins_ and Co. about the uh... upcoming election." He took another drag while Kat turned to look at them, an eyebrow arched.

"Election?" She asked, confusion in her voice. "What election?" Both men turned to face her before Bozo chuckled and looked away while Joker was left to grin at her. He ignored her question, however, and turned back to Bozo with a sigh.

"Me and you will go do that and I want Bacardi to talk to Joey about arranging a private meeting at his _club_."

Kat frowned upon hearing Joey's name, but at the same time she had to wonder what Joker was talking about. She finally looked away from them to stare back at the ground, figuring it had nothing to do with her anyway, in which case she was glad not to be included in the plans anyway. She was so busy staring at her bare feet on the ground she failed to notice Joker had stepped over to her, and she immediately felt sick upon smelling the stench from the cigarette. She made a face as she took a side step away from him, ignoring how the small pebbles from the gravel poked at her feet.

"Just try it, Kitty-Kat," Joker said with a smirk once Kat looked up to him, and she immediately shook her head, hoping Joker wasn't going to force her like he had with the alcohol. In all honesty having to drink the rum wasn't nearly as bad to her as smoking a cigarette, or even taking a hit from it. She had _never_ placed a cigarette to her lips and she was proud of this, so proud she knew she'd rather die before she ever tried it, forced or not. And the fact that Joker smoked only made him that much more disgusting in her eyes.

"Just a hit," Joker continued on pleadingly. He didn't care if Kat smoked and he didn't care if she decided to start; it was just _way_ to much fun bothering her with things she disliked. Joker wasn't going to force her to do it, there was simply no need here. From the porch, though, Bozo watched the pair closely with a grin, anticipating for Joker to push Kat against the wall and force her to inhale it, or maybe he was going to just put the cigarette out altogether on her face. He twiddled the cigarette in between his fingers back and forth as he waited, hoping. But Joker never did this, and instead just continued to stare at Kat.

"No," she said sternly again. "Smoking is fucking disgusting." She glanced back up to Joker, frowning as he took a deep, long drag from the half way finished cigarette, staring directly into her eyes. She let out a small scream a second later, however, when Joker started after her, and she ran away from him towards the side of the house, leaving Bozo to laugh. He easily caught up with her and grabbed her shoulders firmly to spin her around. Kat gasped as she looked up at him with wide eyes and Joker quickly blew out the long, thin stream of smoke right into her face. She closed her eyes tightly and Joker felt her body go limp as he laughed out the rest of the smoke, and he let go of Kat, leaving her to cough more than he thought was necessary as he started back to the porch. Kat felt herself about to vomit as she doubled over slightly, coughing still. She heard Joker laughing darkly to himself and she glanced up to glare at him past her long hair in her face. Bozo was laughing, though slightly disappointed that was all Joker had done to her, and Joker turned to flash her a crazy grin before he threw his cigarette to the ground and started for the door. Kat took a deep breath in through her nose as she pushed her hair out of her face, suddenly feeling disgusting.

Without a word she walked past Bozo and threw open the door and stepped inside just as Joker had rounded the corner to step into the kitchen. She debated with herself on what to do about Joker's latest action, and she came a sudden halt when she realized he had stopped in the archway. He peered around his shoulder before he turned to place his black gloved hand on the small of her back and lead her past him into the room.

"Ah, Kat. Just the girl I wanted to see."

Kat turned and glared at him as she leaned back against the counter next to the entrance of the kitchen before she looked to the table where she found Rocco and Henshaw glaring at her. She glared heavily back at them until Joker's voice broke their thoughts, causing Rocco and Henshaw to look up at him. Kat, however, only looked to the wall.

"Since Bacardi, Bozo and I will be gone for the morning," Joker started. "You _three_ need 'ta go to the store for a little grocery trip." Kat immediately turned towards Joker, her jaw hanging slack, while Rocco and Henshaw rolled their eyes. Joker turned to her with a grin, but it faded once he saw the upset look on her face.

"Are you kidding me?" She wondered out loud.

"Nope," Joker said cheerfully as he started to turn around. "Better go get ready. Oh, and Kat," he turned around slightly to look back at her. "I'm assuming you'll be fine without a list right?" Kat glared at him, and he took this as a 'yes'. "Good. My only request is _don't_ forget the orange juice."

Kat watched him head up the stairs before she turned to face Rocco and Henshaw. Henshaw leaned against the wall, glaring at her, while Rocco stood up from the table and started towards the arch. "I want to leave in ten minutes," he stated. "Be ready."

Kat glared at him as he made his way out of the arch, and with an annoyed grumble she started up stairs to retrieve her clothes for a shower.

–

After a quick five minute shower, in which Kat was happy to have used her own shampoo, but was less happy about the poor conditions in the bathroom or the fact that the lock on the door was broken, she was quick to dress in her usual attire before she started up the stairs to place her towel and dirty clothes on her bedroom floor. She opened up her closet door and used her dirty shirt to wipe the dust off before she threw her shirt into the corner, and after brushing out her hair she started downstairs, dreading the shopping trip she was being forced to take.

She found Rocco and Henshaw conversing by the door with Joker, and she frowned at him with a pout once he turned to face her with a grin, and she noticed he now wore a red tie over his fully buttoned up shirt. Without a word Rocco and Henshaw opened the door to go outside, closing it behind them once Kat had approached Joker.

"I don't even know what I'm supposed to get," Kat complained.

"Whatever this house _needs_," Joker said as he raised his eyebrows, and he let his eyes wander down Kat's body, taking in her dark gray cargo pants and blue, camouflage shirt that exposed her hips. He smirked at her before he started away, only to pause suddenly when Kat spoke up.

"Wait," she said as she turned after him. Joker turned around once he had stepped off the platform and and he looked at her. Kat stared at him, wondering now if she even wanted to ask her question anymore. "Can I get some... paint?"

"Paint?" Joker repeated as he took a step closer. "_Why_?"

"For my room," Kat said as she held her head up slightly. "If I'm being forced to stay in that room I think it's only fair I can customize it."

"Okay, Kat," Joker said with a nod after contemplating it for a silent minute, and he took a step closer so he now stood directly in front of her. "You can get paint to _customize. _But you'll owe me."

Kat's face fell. "Owe you what?" She asked, and Joker could detect the worry in her voice. He pushed his tongue against his scar from the inside of his mouth, grinning after.

"How's about another little _kiss_?" He asked. Kat's eyes widened, unfortunately being reminded of the night before, and all she could ask to herself was _why_. "It's your call, Kitty-Kat," Joker said as he raised his hands up, and he took a step back. Kat slumped her shoulders, and Joker grinned even wider at this. "Since I can see how _desperate_ you are, the budget allows for three bottles of paint and three brushes."

Kat's jaw dropped in protest. "That's not enough," she complained, but Joker was already turning around to start towards his office. Kat watched him go until finally she took a deep, angry breath through her nose, and she started towards the door.

The ride to the grocery store only put Kat into a worse mood than before. Forced to deal with the stench of cigarettes and obnoxious laughter and conversations from the brothers, Kat was just about ready to kill herself. Rocco parked near the front of the store and Kat was quick to push her door open the second he turned off the car and start towards the building.

"Ay!" She heard Rocco call after her. With a huff she turned around quickly, staring at them as they walked up to her in the parking lot. "Your situation at home is gonna get _a lot_ worse real quick if we report that you were a bad little kitty to the boss."

Kat glared into his eyes a second later before she rolled them and she turned around to continue her walk. _Worse_? Kat thought to herself. If she was being honest her situation at home wasn't even that bad to begin with. Granted she'd rather be off on her own, living her own life at her own place and doing what she wanted when she wanted, she knew her situation _could_ be worse. She was thankful with the way things were for now, and unfortunately she knew Rocco was right here. She _hated_ them, but she knew it safe to just do what they said.

Once inside, Kat was left to grab a cart and she headed further into the store. Having no list she figured the only thing she could do was start with aisle one and wind in and out of them, getting what she deemed necessary and _needed_, which at this point it seemed like the most important thing she could was the orange juice Joker requested, as odd as that was to her. She started towards aisle one, Rocco and Henshaw's footsteps loud and heavy from behind her. She stopped in front of the first freezer and peered at the frozen pizzas inside. She opened it and reached in to grab a good number of them, and she threw them into the cart, thinking to herself that one cart was not going to cut it here. She smirked to herself as she considered just not including Rocco or Henshaw in her quantity for the shopping. _They're fat enough_, Kat thought disgustedly in her mind.

Rounding the corner, she could feel the brothers walking noisily behind her, and once she felt the tip of Henshaw's shoe swipe over her heel she spun around quickly. "Do you have to follow me throughout the whole store?" She snapped. At first Henshaw looked stupefied but the look was replaced with a grin while his brother answered for him.

"Boss' orders," he said simply. Kat rolled her eyes as she turned back around to continue down the aisle, easily ignoring the odd glances other people shot her way.

Shopping went rather smoothly, for fortunately Rocco and Henshaw didn't converse with her and they left her to pick out most of the items, occasionally tossing in a random item here and there. Kat had grabbed three different orange juice kinds, one full of pulp, one with some pulp, and one without. She wasn't sure what Joker preferred, and she wasn't ready to be under his wrath over choosing the wrong one, even though he hadn't specified. Regardless, Kat was busy hating on herself for the moment for even doing this somewhat kind favor, that she failed to notice the oncoming cart. Rocco called out to her, but just as Kat looked up her heavy, filled to the top cart collided with the other, which sent the mountain of food toppling over the edge.

"Jesus you're _stupid_!" Rocco scolded. Kat didn't hear him though, for she was too busy staring into those familiar icy blue eyes.

"Oh my God, Kat!" Selina said as she contained herself. She stared back at Kat, her lips slightly parted. Both women were at a loss for words for the moment until Selina went on. "How are you? I mean... what happened?"

Selina appeared so much different. Her skin was pale, and her curly hair seemed more tangled and out of control. Her make-up was darker than usual, and rather than her normal, professional looking clothing, she wore black skinny jeans and a white tank top. Kat felt Rocco take a daring step closer to her, and she quickly cleared her throat. "I-I'm fine," she said as she forced a smile. "How are you?"

"Great," Selina said, her voice calm and lower than usual. Kat was quick to notice how much more relaxed she seemed, but Kat was still in shock. Joker had said he killed her at the bank, so how could she be standing in front of her, right here, right now? The moment was too surreal. Both had questions they wanted to ask, but neither knew how to bring it up. Finally, Selina cleared her own throat and she started around her cart to start picking up Kat's items. Kat quickly bent down to do the same. "So, what happened?" Selina asked in a hushed tone. "I mean, I thought the Joker-"

"It was nothing," Kat said quickly, an awkward laugh escaping past her lips. "I mean, t-that was it."

"That was it?" Selina repeated. "He never went after you again?" She looked doubtful, and she had every reason to be. Kat leaned up with her arms full of food, and she placed them back into the cart while Selina did the same.

"No," Kat said as she shook her head.

"Who are they?" Selina asked now as she looked over to Rocco and Henshaw, her eyes narrowed and an eyebrow cocked.

"We're her cousins," Rocco said as he started past the cart. "And we gotta go." He glared down at Kat, widening his eyes at her while Kat nervously swallowed before she looked to Selina.

"I don't believe that for a _second_," Selina fired back at them and she turned back to Kat. "Look, you got my number, call me and we'll meet up somewhere okay? Please?"

Kat nodded her head, wishing she could. Selina frowned at her as she stared into her eyes, and she glared back at Rocco before she started on her way. Kat turned and watched her go, her heart racing at their brief, random encounter, until Rocco suddenly grabbed her wrist and pulled her back to the cart. She yanked her arm away and glared up at him.

"Let's _go_," Rocco said now. "We're done."

"Not yet," Kat said as she put all her force into pushing the cart. "I have to get my paint."

"Paint?" Rocco asked. "Boss never said anything about _paint_."

"He did to me," Kat said back as she started to the opposite side of the store towards the art supplies. Fortunately, Gotham Grocery had a little bit of everything, and Kat wasted no time with finding the paints. She stopped the car in the aisle and stepped away from it to look over her _many_ choices in acrylic paint. She reached out to grab a large bottle of blue, red and yellow paint, deciding the primary colors would be her best choice. She pushed the cart down a little further, and she ignored the annoyed sighs and growls from Rocco and Henshaw as her eyes fell onto a mixing pallet. She bit her lip in thought, trying to pictures Joker's reaction if she was to buy just _one_ more thing extra. The price was fairly cheap, so she placed it in the cart, but she frowned heavily when she noticed the paintbrushes came in _packs_. The smallest pack consisted of five paintbrushes, all off different sizes, while the largest came with thirty. She stared at the packs, thinking that maybe she should just disregard painting her room...

_No_, she thought sternly to herself. Joker had already done the most selfish thing he could do to her by taking her away from _her_ life, so now she'd get back at him, even if it was in a much smaller way. She grabbed the ten pack, threw it in the cart, and started around the corner to head to the registers.

After being left alone to put the many bags into the back of the truck, Kat couldn't help but start to really wonder how Joker would react. Perhaps he wouldn't have to know? Maybe she could quickly sneak the bag upstairs, give him his damn kiss and then be done. _Ugh, that kiss_, Kat thought in her mind as she stared out the heavily tinted windows. She was _dreading_ it. The last thing she wanted to do was _anything _intimate the clown she was forced to deal with. Why did he want that from her anyway? And why was he striking a deal with her, a deal she could easily have opted out of for it? It made absolutely no sense to her. All she could do was hope it would go by as quickly as the last...

The house was quiet upon bringing in the first two bags to the kitchen, and once Kat set down the bag that contained the eggs and bread she quickly clutched her bag of paint and turned to start upstairs. She froze, however, when she saw Joker making his way down the stairs. Her heart began to race with nervous energy as she looked up at him, and him down to her as he reached the bottom step.

"How was it?" Joker asked in that clowny voice as he circled around her, his eyes immediately falling to the bag she held at her side.

"Fine," she said as she stood still, upset over the sudden turn of events. Joker came to stand in front of her now and he took the bag from her, looking up at her with a grin as he parted it.

"Let's see what you got..." he started, and he reached. "Three bottles of paint... ah, what's _this_?" He drew out the silver mixing pallet and the pack of paintbrushes, and he held them up as he raised his eyebrows expectantly at her. Kat swallowed nervously, and he grinned at her. "The budget didn't allow for this _this_," he said, his voice lowering a whole octave. He brought his eyebrows down and lowered his head as he replaced the items into the bag, and he tossed it onto the stairs before he glanced back at Kat from under the ridge of his eyes. "Look's like a _little_ kiss isn't gonna cut it now, huh?"

Kat's eyes widened slightly as she wondered desperately what he meant by that, and her stomach dropped when Joker reached out to grab her arms. As if in a rage of anger he spun her around and pushed her against the wall in the dark hallway next to his closed office door, and he applied pressure onto her shoulders as he held her there. "Looks like we'll just have to do it _my_ way," he growled at her. Kat's lips parted as she nervously swallowed again, and she stared at his shadowy face, gasping when he practically slammed his hand against her face. He parted her lips with his thumb and his lips came crashing down onto hers forcibly. A shock ran through Kat's body, causing her to become complete paralyzed for a moment until her eyes slid closed, and she finally participated against her will.

Joker's tongue was smooth against hers, his lips warm. She focused on keeping her hands at her sides, regardless of how badly she wanted to bring them up, but at the moment her body was _greatly_ disagreeing with her mind. Joker slid his gloved hands from from her shoulder and face and he placed them on her hips, pushing them under her shirt slightly, and he forced her against the wall harder as he brought his body closer. Instinctively Kat brought her hands up, and before she could stop herself her hands were already resting just above his chest. She titled her head back as her tongue continued to dance with Joker's, and a shiver ran through her when he tightly squeezed on her hips.

Either all too soon or not soon enough, Joker pulled away just enough to keep his lips against hers, and he let out a bone-chilling laugh against her as he looked into her eyes. Speechless and motionless, Kat continued to look into his glossy, dark eyes, her head spinning. Butterflies swirled to life in her stomach and her body tingled, and despite her best efforts she could not figure out why. Joker stared into her wide-eyes, eating up her confusion, enjoying the disarray he brought on her through such an emotionless action. But on the good side or bad side, he wasn't sure which, her lips were so plump and smooth, and she was definitely what he would call a good kisser. He figured this was just an added bonus on his side. He remained looking at her until he stepped back without a word and he disappeared around the corner to head upstairs.

Kat finally let out the breath she had been holding as her heart raced. She wanted to murder herself for her body reacting in such a horribly positive way towards that kiss. Last night she figured it had just been the alcohol; what was her excuse now? She took a deep breath as she leaned off the wall, able to still practically feel where his hands on her hips had been, and she tried hard to rid herself of the thought to calm her body down. She grabbed her discarded bag from the stairs and started to her room, deciding to let Rocco and Henshaw bring the bags in themselves.

–

"I'm tellin' you guys! I saw it!"

"Man, you don't know what you saw."

"Fuck you, I _do_ know. It happened right in front of my own eyes!" Rocco's eyes widened with anger as he stared at Bozo. He ashed his cigarette and brought it up to his lips to take a quick drag, all while never taking his eyes off his skeptical friend. Bozo, from his sitting position on the porch stared back him with a look of calmness, though on the inside he felt confused and even a little upset. He finally let out a small laugh before he turned his head away, and he took a hit from his own cigarette.

Just as the sun started to set behind the forest, the four boys had come outside to take an extra long smoke break, chain smoking through their packs as they relaxed and talked among themselves. Bozo had taken his normal spot on the porch, sitting with legs stretched in front of him while Bacardi leaned against the railing, leaving Rocco and Henshaw standing in front of the porch. It had started off nice, with the air cold and the night starting to appear, the conversation had been light and full of jokes, that is, until Rocco brought up what he saw happen between Joker and Kat.

"So you're telling me," Bozo started as he blew out the thin stream of smoke between his lips, and he raised his eyebrows as he looked up at Rocco. "That you saw the Joker – _the Joker – _kissing that chick that we picked up?" A small, disbelieving grin appeared on his face and he shook his head as he leaned back. "Am I the only one who see's just how untrue this is?" He turned around and glanced up at Bacardi, who laughed a little himself as he shook his head. Bozo turned around and stared expectantly at Henshaw as Rocco turned to him as well.

"Henshaw! Would you get over here and _tell them_! You saw it too!"

With an annoyed sigh Henshaw stepped closer to the gang. "Yeah I saw it," he said, his voice practically no different than Rocco's heavily accented, deep pitched voice. "Had her all... pushed up against and the wall and shit... _blech_!" He waved his hand away, signifying he was done talking about it. Bozo's eyes widened now as he excitedly sat up.

"So you're saying he was hurting her then, _right_?"

"No," Rocco said. "He _wasn't_."

Eyebrows furrowed, Bozo lowered himself back down and he threw his cigarette to the ground, reaching in to his pocket a short second after to get his forth one. He didn't want to believe the two fat brothers, there was just _no_ way that happened. Not after all the other girls...

The squeaky front screen door opening suddenly caused everyone to look up at it, and they watched as Joker made his way outside. He let the screen door close noisily behind him with a bang as he stepped past Bozo, taking the pack of cigarettes and the lighter he held up to him. He hunched his shoulders as he lit up, and he tossed the pack and lighter back to Bozo has he exhaled.

"So what were we talking about?" Joker asked as he glanced around, sensing how uneasy the silence was. All four of his best stayed quiet as they busied themselves with taking another hit at the same time, and Joker raised his eyebrows.

"Nothin'," Rocco finally spoke up, and he glared over at Bozo, his silent way of telling him to say nothing about the previous subject. But Bozo wasn't an idiot, and he took slight offense over Rocco's harsh look. Joker looked back and forth at the two pairs with only his eyes as he mumbled a small '_hmm_' to himself, and he went about taking his second drag.

"It's safe to assume you set up that meeting, yes?" Joker cocked an eyebrow as he looked over to Bacardi, whose were eyes shadowed out due to his bowlers hat. He nodded quickly as he took the final drag from his cigarette, and he tossed it across the porch and over the railing. Joker looked away from him and looked over to Rocco. "_And_ I _know_ you two brought in the groceries..." he said, though there was a hint of doubtfulness in his voice. Rocco's jaw dropped slightly while Henshaw's eyes widened, and Joker was just about to speak up when Bozo beat him to it.

"I did it boss," he said casually as he bent his legs at the knee now to rest both his arms on, ashing his cigarette in front of his shoes. Joker looked down to him for a second before he raised his eyebrows and nodded. He moved over to the porch to sit down on the step.

"Well Bo', looks like you're _that_ much closer to winning the _Thug of the Month Award,_ again. _Congratulations," _he added sarcastically.

As if this actually mattered and was real, Bozo grinned up proudly at Rocco and Henshaw, leaving the brothers to glare down at him before they both rolled their eyes. "So boss, what's that chick doin' right now?" he asked now as he turned to Joker, but not before he shot Rocco a cocky grin.

"Painting," Joker answered, slowly raising his arm to take a hit as he stared at the ground in front of him, orange in hue due to the porch light. His mind wandered blankly back to the kiss that had happened earlier. If he were being honest, it had been a little more intense than he had meant it to be, but he figured that the intensity of it most likely confused Kat even more, which was his goal, after all. But he could not get over how soft her lips had been or how she had idly clutched the fabric of his shirt. He licked his lips as his eyebrows met in the middle, for a second considering that perhaps he should stop with his game, for just two little kisses were really taking a toll on his mind. But then again, why should he? Thinking about it further he realized he was getting the best of both worlds here; he was confusing the _fuck_ out of Kat, his original goal, while also being able to enjoy it physically as much as mentally. He idly nodded as he took another drag, placing the cigarette between his grinning lips. Now he was just winning twice the points...

Upstairs Kat had completely indulged herself into painting. She mixed her colors with ease, and from it was able to achieve rich dark reds, oranges, greens and purples. She was happy with herself for getting the ten pack of brushes for she had used all but one at this point, which only allowed her to paint her picture with more accuracy. She had managed to erase her mind of everything and focused only on her painting, but as she finished up with the last stokes of purple, her mind wandered back to Joker's kiss, and this time she let it.

She felt that familiar, tiny shock run up her spine and tickle her neck as she thought back, recalling how forcibly he had pushed her against the wall, and how his leather gloves had felt on her skin. The kiss had been ridiculously passionate, and Kat hated herself for knowing this and agreeing with herself over it, when truth be told she could honestly say she had _never _been kissed with so much passion ever in her life. It was unfair though. Why was it that the lunatic that had kidnapped her and selfishly stole her away from her life the one who could so easily make her body completely go against her mind with one, simple, heartless action? Kat _knew_ he did it for fun, for any other reason other than that was complete ludicrous, and she knew better.

It was so frustrating though. Kat _hated_ him, how could she not? But she just could not shake the images of both their kisses from her head. Regardless of what her mind wanted, they always left her physically wanting more. Kat figured it was safe to assume she wasn't necessarily attracted him, despite how strong he was or how tall, qualities she had always liked in men but unfortunately never had... It was that _stupid_ face paint he wore. She didn't understand why he wore it. She had seen his face that night in the hotel, and even through the dim lightening she couldn't help but notice how rather handsome he looked...

Kat shook her head vigorously finally, her wavy hair falling front of her face, and she pushed it out of her face with with her hand, not caring at the moment about the paint she had more than likely just rubbed into it. Ridiculously annoyed now, she told herself that no matter what she was done with those feelings. Next time he went in to kiss her she would _not_ participate, even if it killed her, which at this point she knew death was probably better than having to deal with all this confusion. She was not going to let her body give in, and she was going to prove to him and mostly herself that she could resist. _Mind over body_, she thought to herself with finality.

She stepped back towards her closet door, paintbrush and pallet in hand, and she stared at her work that took up nearly the entire while wall the head of her bed sat against. A smile crept its way onto her face now as she stared at her painting, and for the first time in a long time she finally felt real happiness and a big sense of accomplishment. She hadn't felt this feeling in a _long_ time, not sense moving to Gotham. High on the feeling, she stared at her work a second longer before she finally picked up her many paintbrushes she had laid on the grocery bag and she opened her door to go rinse her brushes, clean the pallet, and perhaps even shower off all the paint from her body.

She skipped down the stairs quickly, her mind so focused on the _real_ happiness she felt she failed to notice she had absentmindedly stepped into the kitchen. She stopped suddenly in the arch, however, and she stared at Joker, Joker staring back at her from across the room. Her lips parted slightly as her eyes narrowed in on his unbuttoned collar and loosened red tie, the seemingly soft material hanging limp from his neck. Her eyes traveled down those black suspenders again, noticing this time his gloves were off, and the shock that ran up her back and stung her neck was quick to snap her out of her daze and she continued to the sink, figuring she'd just rinse off her brushes there.

All the while Kat had been staring at him, Joker couldn't help but to stare back at her. Unknowingly his eyebrows had raised as he took in the sight of Kat practically drenched in paint. Colors of yellows, reds, oranges and purples covered her dark blue tank top and cargo pants, but what he found himself taking in the most was the site of the paint on her skin. The colors were smeared and blotched up and down her slender arms and hands, as well as her face and even in her hair. His eyes had wandered to stare at the purple smeared near her lips and the red on the side of her face and forehead before he gazed at the paint that ran back over her scalp and down the strands of hair that framed her face.

Blinking finally, he started towards her as she turned on the faucet, and he leaned against the counter by her, watching as the water ran purple once she stuck the brush in the running water. "So," he started causally as his eyes slid up to the side of her face, and he focused on the orange splat by her pierced ear. "How'd the painting go?"

Kat looked over to him with a blank face, her eyes looking down to his shirt collar before they bounced back up to look into his eyes. "Fine," she answered, and she quickly looked away from him. Butterflies started to flutter in her stomach but she kept on a firm face and she tilted her head, focusing hard on ignoring them, but the harder she tried, the faster and livelier they became. She could feel Joker's eyes on her, and she forced herself to keep her eyes on her hands as they rinsed the various paintbrushes clean.

Joker's eyes roamed down her side, focusing on her exposed hip bone before they wandered back up. He felt _slightly_ dizzy, but he ignored this as he watched her fingers pinch the bristles of the brushes, helping to rinse the paint from them quicker. Kat glanced back over to him as she reached for the pallet, the silence uneasy and the tension thick, and she quickly looked away once Joker's eyes wandered back up to hers, but he had seen this. Kat's hands free of paint now, she quickly rinsed off the pallet with ease and she set it down on the counter by the brushes. She placed her hands back under the water and was just about to start to rinse the paint from her arms when Joker suddenly reached out to snatch her wrist, holding it out of the water. She turned to him quickly, watching as Joker's eyes slowly traveled from her arm then back up to her eyes. She could make out the blue in them from the bright kitchen light, and she parted her lips, her heart racing. Suddenly they both reached out, Kat grabbing his suspenders while he pushed her back a few feet, her back hitting the counter that sat by the arch of the kitchen, and instantly their lips crashed together.

Kat closed her eyes tightly as she tugged on Joker's suspenders, bringing him closer. Her mind went blank and those butterflies had fluttered their way to her throat, it seemed, and her heart raced while her skin flushed. Joker grabbed her hips and squeezed them, his hands calloused and rough. Without warning he suddenly lifted her up and sat her down on the counter, and he rested his forehead on hers, looking into her eyes as he stood in between her knees. Kat breathed heavily, barely able to fathom what had just happened as her body shook. The smell of Kat's vanilla chapstick was practically intoxicating, and he squeezed her hips as he leaned again, his tongue plummeting into her mouth.

Kat tightened her grasp on his suspenders, his shirt wet underneath them due to her hands, and she kissed him with just as much urgency. Her mind blank, she was unable to argue with herself, and there was no voice screaming at her to stop. On the other hand Joker knew that this time around it was different, _much_ different, but for the life of him he could not stop himself. There was just _something_ about that paint covering her skin that caused him to act on a random impulse...

A few minutes later Kat finally pulled away, her eyes wide as she stared at Joker. Her breath hitched in her throat and she felt as though she was about to pass out as the realization of what she had just done hit her like a slap in the face. Joker glanced down to her lips, stained with red while white existed on her cheeks and forehead, and he looked back up into her brown eyes. She swallowed as she thought of something to say, _anything _to say to break the awkwardness, when the sound of the screen door opening suddenly broke the silence, and they both glanced over to the arch before they quickly looked back to each other.

"I-I was about t-to-"

"Go shower," Joker said, as if reading her mind, and he stepped back, letting his hands slide off her slowly. Her body still tingling, Kat jumped off the counter, quickly gathered her brushes and pallet, and without a word she ran up stairs, leaving Joker to stand alone in the kitchen.

a.n. thanks for the reviews! :)) i've created a facebook page for my stories, where you can find pictures, updates and news. PLEASE add me! (click on 'homepage' on my profile on the top left!)


	7. Here To Stay

Growing more and more annoyed, Kat continued to go through the guide on the TV, loosely holding the remote in her hand as she pressed down on the button, scrolling through the list of shows. After going through them twice and finding nothing that captured her attention, she settled on a design show and tossed the remote next to her on the couch before placing her feet on the coffee table to sink down into the couch comfortably. She sighed as she stared up at the TV, frustrated with the lack of things to do. She had considered painting some more, but the memories of how _that_ had ended up haunted her mind, and she decided easily against it. She tried hard not to think about it, but the fact that _she_ was just as much responsible for that kiss as Joker had been angered her beyond imaginable. How could she have been so stupid? She had never considered herself an impulsive person at all, normally she was able to easily control herself and not give in to things so easily...

She grumbled again as she rested her head back on the couch, closing her eyes as she listened to the TV, trying, but failing, to clear her mind. Kat had participated in each kiss, her body betraying her mind _easily_, and she could not figure out why. The answer to her problem was clear, however. While she hated him for making her deal with these confusing issues, she knew _he_ was not going to stop, so it was up to her to keep a safe distance to control her spontaneous actions whenever the mood of sorts arose. What else could she do?

Her eyes snapped open when she heard footsteps coming from the hidden hallway, and she glanced over the couch, only to slump back down with a loud, annoyed sigh as Rocco, Henshaw, Bacardi and Bozo made their way into the living room, noisily as always.

"Bozo throw me the remote would ya?" Rocco instantly said as he plopped down onto the loveseat couch next to his brother. "I'm not watching this shit..." he added with a mumble as he glared at Kat. Bozo ignored him, and rather he placed his socked feet on the coffee table from the opposite end of the couch from Kat, picked up the remote, and started through the guide himself casually. "Hey, _Brian_, I said gimme the remote!" Rocco barked as he glared at Bozo's face. "Dammit Bozo hand it here!" He slammed his fist onto the couch, and Kat looked over to him quickly, her jaw hanging slack, her mind barely able to comprehend how immature he was acting. A short second after Kat looked over to Bozo, and he glanced over at her with a grin before proceeding to put on some sort of gun show. From the loveseat Rocco huffed loudly, and Kat and Bozo both turned to him.

"You would have picked this show yourself," Bozo said. "So do us all a favor and shut the fuck up."

Rocco took in a deep breath through his nose before he sat back, grumbling to himself. Kat remained staring him, her eyes wandering down to stare at the way his fat stomach hung over his pants, and her eyes disgustedly traveled back up before she finally looked away towards the TV. _What a child_, she thought.

"So, Kat," Bozo started up as he turned his body to face her, leaving Rocco, Henshaw and Bacardi, who had taken his usual spot on the floor in front of the coffee table, to roll their eyes. "Dumb and dumber over there tell me that you_ kissed_ the Joker... is this really true?" He nodded over to the loveseat before he looked back to Kat, a wide smile on his face. Kat glared at him before she rolled her eyes, the room starting to spin, and she stared back at the TV.

"Dumb shit I _told_ you. It is true!" Rocco barked from the couch, leaving Henshaw to shake his head while Bacardi wished the three would all shut up, or at least turn the TV up.

"Judging by her silence, I think I agree, Rocco," Bozo said smartly. "So Kat, I'm just confused... why would the Joker want to engage in such a _intimate _act with someone whohe's just gonna kill?"

Kat's head snapped back over to him, anger rising in her quickly. "Why do you want me to die so badly?" She asked. "You don't know me, you'll have nothing to do with it, so what gratification will you get?" She continued to stare at him, watching as his jaw hung slack slightly as he stared back at her. As a somewhat confused look met his face, she faced forward again, crossing her arms, only to suddenly glance over to the stairs when she heard a door open. Joker stepped out of his room, closing his door behind him, and he placed his hands in his purple pockets as he started down the stairs. He glanced at Kat, smirking at her until she turned around to stare back at the TV.

He noticed Bozo staring at her, a baffled look on his face, until his eyes wandered over to Joker and he was quick to change the expression. Joker cocked an eyebrow as he stepped closer to the living room, and he glanced down at Kat, taking in her peeved pout before he looked back up to the rest of his crew.

"Why don't you all uh, _am-scray _so's I can talk to Kitty-Kat alone here, eh?" Joker asked as he placed his hands behind his back, linking his fingers together while his thugs immediately stood to leave the room. Rocco, however lingered slightly, and he smirked over at Kat before he started past Joker. Joker watched them go, and once he heard Rocco start down the stairs he finally started into the living room. Kat focused hard on keeping her gaze at the TV, and she didn't so much as blink as Joker walked past her.

"So, Kat," he started, his voice low, clowny, and casual. "You seem to be in a particularly _bad_ mood this morning." He stood still for a minute, staring down at Kat's face as she made a point to ignore him. Her eyes shifted over to him quickly before she looked away, and with a large sigh she uncrossed her arms, placing her elbow on the arm of the couch before she rested her head in her hand. Joker bit down on his scar from the inside of his mouth as he stared at her. "Oh," he started now. "I see. Little miss _impulsive _is upset over her _actions_ last night..." Joker 'tsk-ed' to himself as he plopped down in the middle of the couch, and he cocked an eyebrow as Kat immediately turned to him.

"You're calling _me_ impulsive? That kiss had just as much to do with you as it did with me!"

Joker frowned at her as he looked into her eyes, until a sly grin spread onto his face. He looked down slightly before he scooted closer to her, and he was just about to speak but grew confused when Kat suddenly stood from the couch, unknowingly to him putting her plan into action. Joker was quick to spring up and he speedily stepped in front of her before she could walk into the kitchen. She stopped with a start, and she sighed loudly as she glared up at him.

"Why the attitude Kat? _I_ didn't do anything."

She took a deep breath, accidentally taking in the strong scent of Joker's cologne, and she rolled her eyes as she turned away from him to head back into the living room, but Joker was quick to reach out and place his hand on her shoulder to spin her back around to face him. "Maybe your parents didn't raise you this way, but normally when somebody's trying to have a _conversation _with you, you stand still and _listen_."

Kat rolled her eyes again and shook her head at his sarcasm over her, and she shot her head back over to him when he squeezed on her shoulder, his good mood falling quickly. "Look since obviously I'm such an _impulsive_ person, I'm doing us both a favor and staying away from you-" Kat was about to go on, but her breath hitched in her throat when Joker's hand went from her shoulder to her hair. Her hands flew to her head as Joker pulled hard on it, and she stumbled as he started to drag her towards the stairs. Bent over and holding her head, Kat flinched up each step as Joker stormed up the stairs until finally he kicked open her ajar door, and without warning he spun her around and slammed her against the wall. Kat's eyes widened as she looked up at him, her head starting to pound and her back growing sore, and she sucked in a breath when Joker placed his hand just below her neck, applying pressure to hold her against the wall.

"Look," he growled as he pointed a finger in her face. "Just because you can't control yourself, doesn't mean I can't." He stared intently into her eyes, using every force in his body not to choke her as anger surged throughout him. "You need to _knock off_ this attitude, Kat, because I'm getting real sick of it, _real fast_."

Kat remained staring into his eyes, using the pain he brought on her as a way of harnessing her anger. Joker glanced up at her painted wall before taking his hand off of her, suddenly storming over to the door without a word. He slammed it shut behind him, leaving Kat to lean off the wall and fall to her knees in the middle of the floor, and she swung her head back, letting out a loud, ear-shattering, frustrated scream, the echo bouncing off the walls. Her throat painfully sore now, she leaned over and brought her fists down onto the floor with another small yell, pain surging up her arm until finally she fell back to lean against the wall, breathing deeply.

Her scream had practically rattled the entire house, but Joker didn't flinch on his way down the stairs, and instead he only shook his head as he calmly proceeded to the front door. Grabbing the pack of cigarettes that sat on the long table, he stepped outside, surprised to see Bozo sitting at his usual spot on the porch, a cigarette dangling from his mouth. Joker stepped off the porch, lighting up quickly after.

"Uh... what was that?" Bozo asked as he glanced up at Joker, who merely shrugged as a response. He took the cigarette from his mouth as he exhaled.

"The unrestrained scream from a spoiled brat," Joker answered simply. Bozo frowned.

"When are you gonna kill her?" Bozo asked now, Joker's head perfectly blocking out the sun from his view. Joker stared at the ground, contemplating his question to himself as he stared down at his shoes. Things with Kat were not exactly going how he had planned. Granted he had wanted to do it differently this time around with her, it was only proving things to be more complicated in general. Unfortunately Kat had been right, Joker _was_ just as responsible for that last kiss just as much as she had been, but it still didn't give her the right to have an attitude with him. That night Joker realized what he had done, telling himself that he simply had to use a little more self control over himself. Easy. Kat, on the other hand, obviously wasn't so strong willed, at least not as much as she wanted herself to seem to others. As much as a time and place for Kat's death? Joker wasn't exactly sure, he had never given it much thought, but now it seemed as though that day was approaching quicker than he had anticipated...

–

After sitting in her room for a good few hours, letting her anger fade away from her to a point where she felt okay to function, Kat had collected her towel and some clean clothes for a shower. She headed down the stairs cautiously, peeking into the kitchen and glancing into the living room as to make sure Joker was not around. She proceeded into the bathroom, growling when she remembered the lock didn't work, and she started the shower.

It was bewildering to her how quickly Joker's mood had changed, but at the same time it really wasn't. However, she wasn't sure exactly what had set him off in the first place, but with further thought she didn't care. Perhaps this small 'fight' of sorts would leave them on terms to ignore each other, which was perfectly fine with Kat. It would only help out her issues with the whole matter.

After placing her clothes back in the corner of her room, brushing her hair, and contemplating on what she should paint that day, Kat ventured downstairs, deciding for the first time in a while she was _finally_ hungry. She wasn't sure how much time had gone by since she had last eaten, but now as she entered the kitchen her stomach growled due to the thought of food.

Just as her luck would have it, Bozo was sitting at the kitchen table, enjoying an early afternoon cup of coffee as he read over the news paper. He glanced over it with his eyes, watching as Kat opened the fridge to look around for something to eat. Sighing, she closed the door and bent down to peer into the freezer, settling on a frozen macaroni and cheese microwavable dinner. Standing at her full height and turning around slightly as she closed the freezer door with her hip, Kat caught Bozo's eyes wandering back up to her face, and she narrowed her eyes on him.

"Why don't you take a picture, it'll last longer," Kat spat sarcastically at him as she leaned against the counter, flipping the box over to read its directions. Bozo chuckled as he looked back down the newspaper. "Asshole," Kat added.

"You're gonna have to come up something a little more insulting if you want it to get to me," Bozo said as he turned the page. He glanced up at Kat, smirked at her when he saw she was staring at him, and lifted his mug to take a sip. Kat stared at him for another long minute before she finally looked back down to the box, deciding it best to just ignore him.

Once the meal was fully cooked, Kat grabbed a fork and sat down at the table, the smell of the macaroni and cheese enticing. Bozo glanced back up at Kat from the opposite end of the table with a grin. "You come up with that insult yet?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because I have better things to do," Kat said back as she glared up at him,a fork full of macaroni in her hand. She rolled her eyes as she took a bite, and she turned her body in her chair slightly to face the arch of the kitchen, wondering why she didn't just take her food upstairs.

"Like what?" Bozo asked now as he set down the paper. "Busy yourself with eating that shit, paint your _tiny-ass _room? Kiss Joker-"

"Ignore you," Kat added as she glanced over at him, her eyebrows raised. Bozo smirked at this, and he downed the rest of his coffee before he stood from the table.

"Yeah, that's going pretty well, isn't it?"

Kat watched him as he placed his mug in the sink, and he left the kitchen without a word to head down the hallway. Kat shook her head as she went about finishing her macaroni and cheese, until she finally stood from the table to throw the plastic dish away and rinse her fork before she placed it in the empty dishwasher. For a short second she considered doing the dishes, the large pile of them in the sink nearly unbearable, until she decided against it, figuring she had absolutely no reason to help out around the house. After grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge she headed upstairs to think of something to paint.

After his short lived smoking break, Bozo's simple question had given Joker a lot to think about, and he started to second guess his antics over Kat. His plans for his newest chaotic act over Gotham were already under way, and he figured that maybe he just didn't need an act of entertainment, if he could even call it that, at home. Kat was unlike any other girl he had ever known. She was moody, brutally honest, and didn't hold back to say or act how she was feeling. It was odd for him, he was used to the girls he kidnapped to be quiet and _terrified_. The only time a look of terror overcame Kat was when Joker was hurting her. Most girls would cower the second he stepped foot into the room, no matter how far away he was from them.

Obviously he had made a poor choice with doing it differently with Kat, she simply was too strong-minded over his tries to confuse her. It had only backfired on him, causing him to act on a sudden impulse as well. That had never happened before...

He sat back in his chair that sat in front of his computer and desk and stared up at the area where the wall met the ceiling, thinking. Maybe he should just kill her and get it over with, that way he could spare himself of any other impulsive acts or failing attempts to make her suffer. With his newest plans for Gotham he'd have to have his mind in it one-hundred and ten percent, and if he was too busy trying to break Kat the plan wouldn't have his full attention. He thought over ways in his head of how he could go about killing her. He pictured himself barging into her room and strangling her on her bed, or slashing her throat with one of his many knives. But as they normally did with the other girls, these thoughts just weren't satisfying him. He just wasn't ready to kill her yet...

With an irritated sigh he leaned forward to open his desk drawer, and he took out Kat's phone and battery. He replaced the battery and turned the phone on, waiting for the screen to load and become functional. The alert popping up suddenly, he went to her missed calls list, and he scrolled through the same number that apparently had been calling every hour. He cocked an eyebrow as he stared down at her parents number. Perhaps the reason Kat was so hostile towards him was because she figured that maybe she had a way to get out of this still. With her only friend and known contact in Gotham dead, all that left was her parents. Joker knew Kat was smart, so he figured it safe to assume she knew this.

He stood from his chair, cell phone still in hand, and he headed over to the door. He stepped out into the hallway, the house quiet, and he headed to the stairs, peering up them at Kat's closed door. He silently started up them and with his free hand he reached into his pocket to draw out his knife, folded into the handle. Once on the landing he pushed open Kat's door, and she jumped slightly as she immediately looked up at the door from her laying position on the bed. She sat up finally, watching as Joker stepped into the room, and he tossed her phone at her before he closed her door.

"Call your parents," he said blandly, and Kat immediately opened her mouth to protest. "_Now_," Joker growled, not in the mood to deal with her attitude.

"Why?" Kat asked as she picked up her phone, and she glanced back at Joker as he plopped down on her bed next to her. Kat rolled her eyes as she scrolled through her contacts, but she jumped with a start when she heard Joker's knife snap open, and she froze when he held it against her neck. She swallowed as she glanced over at him, confused as to what was going on it. Joker moved closer to her as he swung his arm behind her to rest his free hand against her hip.

"Do they know _where_ you are?" He asked, ignoring her question. Kat shook her head, and he grinned slightly at this. "Good. _Don't _tell them. Just let them know that you're doing _fine, _and if this conversation starts to get out of line, it'll be your _last_," he added with a growl, his lips just next to her ear. A shock ran up Kat's spine and she looked back down to her phone, wondering why he wanted her to do this so suddenly. She selected her parents number and held it up to her ear. "Ah, ah, ah," Joker started as he tapped his knife against her throat. "Speaker."

Kat took the phone from her ear and put it on speaker, listening to the rings from it. Joker started to hum as he loosely glided the blade along her skin, noticing the goosebumps that appeared on Kat's arms. He grinned at this, and he looked down to the phone when somebody finally picked up.

_"Kathreen! Honey! Oh my God, Robert it's Kat!"_

Kat rolled her eyes up to the ceiling, and Joker couldn't help but to chuckle at this as he listened to the frantic shuffling of the phone.

_"Kat! Honey thank God you're alright! Where did you go?" _Her mother demanded loudly in a very desperate tone of voice. Kat looked back down to the phone in her hand, and she could feel Joker staring at her as he pushed the blade closer to her throat.

"Just, away Mom," she said, her voice breaking slightly. She felt Joker start to drum his bare hand on her exposed hip, and she swallowed again, unable to help but be slightly nervous as a bunch of questions buzzed around in her head. She heard her mother sniffle on the other of the phone, but she didn't as much as blink to this.

_"Where, Kat?" _She asked. _"Please just tell me where! You can't just run away like that!"_

"Mom I'm twenty-one!" Kat argued back. "I can do whatever I want."

Her mother sniffled again, and in the background she could heard her dad asking where she was. Joker grinned and he shook his head to himself as he looked down slightly, only to lift his head back up when her mother started to speak. _"I really wish you'd tell me where you went, Kathreen,"_ she started, her voice cracking. _"Just at least tell me how you're doing? Is everything okay?"_

Kat sighed as she stared at the phone, feeling lightheaded. "Things could better-" she began with a mumble, but she gasped when Joker suddenly pushed her down onto the bed, his fingers wrapped around her neck, knife still in hand. The phone fell to the floor, leaving Kat's mother to ask frantically what was going on as Kat stared into his eyes. With a firm look he titled his head to the side, holding the knife against her throat again. He reached down to pick up the phone and he held it in front of her as he put most of his weight on top of her.

"I''m fine, Mom," she said louder now, forcing out her words as she struggled under Joker's weight.

_"What happened?" _Her mom asked now. _"Kat you __**need**__ to come home!" _

Kat closed her eyes tightly, wishing widely that all this chaos would just go away. She wanted her mom to shut up and she wanted Joker to leave her alone, and the room began to spin as she listened to her mother's frenzied round of questions and begs to come home, and she could feel Joker's warm breath on her neck as he pushed the knife in deeper to her skin, any harder it would surely rupture it.

Joker licked his lips, as he turned the phone to face him and he pressed the mute button before looking back down to Kat. "Tell her, once and for all, that you're doing _okay_, and that you have to go to _work_." He raised his eyebrows at her, his way of asking if she understood. She nodded her head slightly, watching as he pressed the mute button again.

"Mom," Kat interrupted. "Mom! Look, I'm doing _fine_," she glared up at Joker. "And I have to go to work now-"

_"Kathreen just__** talk **__to me, honey! I-"_

Joker hung up the phone before she could continue, using the same hand to remove the battery. Kat remained glaring up at him and he grinned at her when he looked back down into her eyes. "Now there's a good _Kitty-Kat_," he said in a low voice. Kat looked away from him, and she stared at her floor, leaving Joker's eyes to wander up her painted wall. He cocked his eyebrow as he stared at the picture of a giant, vibrantly colored sun with purple shadows and white highlights, its eyes large and green, it's lips plump and nicely shaped. The painting took up most of the wall, and as his eyes wandered to the floor he had to wonder how she had managed not to get paint on it.

Finally he leaned off her as he took his knife back, retracting it, and he placed it and the phone parts into his pocket. He left her room without a word, gently closing the door behind him, leaving Kat to lay in her bed and wonder what had just happened.

–

After throwing her dirty clothes and second used towel into the corner of her room, Kat frowned at the growing pile on the floor, realizing just how crucial it was beginning to be for her to do laundry. _They probably don't even have a laundry room_, she thought disgustedly to herself as she headed to her closet, going through her clothes as she pictured herself hand washing all her items in the bathtub. She shook her head as she tossed a pair of pants behind her onto her bed before reaching back into the closet to draw out a small black tank top. She put it on over her red bra before she turned to the bed to pick up her pants. She looked at herself in the mirror, her eyes wandering down her shirt and onto her dark blue, cotton pants that loosely hugged her ankles. She threw her hair behind her shoulders and turned to head out of her room, figuring it best to ask Joker where she could do some laundry.

All night thoughts of Joker's hostility towards her had kept her tossing and turning and laying awake. She could understand that perhaps she _was_ the one who had brought on his bad mood, but she didn't care about that. Joker had wanted her, so he took her, and now he had to deal with her, attitude and all. Kat knew this to be his problem. But she didn't understand why he had forced her to call her parents. It had only made things worse in the long run, and Kat had spent all night trying to figure out why. But eventually she figured out there most likely was no why, so eventually all she could do was shrug it off and try to sleep.

Kat stopped under the arch of the kitchen, and she slouched down as she rolled her eyes when she noticed Joker sitting at the table, a mug of coffee in his hand. He looked up from the papers he had been reading and he smirked at her before he looked back down to them. Kat shook her head as she proceeded into the kitchen, deciding she'd make some of the tea she had bought from the store.

Joker glanced back up to Kat, watching as she opened the cabinet to reach for a mug. As she stood on her tip-toes, Joker's eyes mindlessly wandered down her long hair until they came to a stop on her ass. He rose an eyebrow; he had never noticed how big and round it was. He idly licked the scar on his bottom lip, failing to realize Kat had retrieved the mug and was starting to turn around. He blinked before he looked back to her face, but Kat had seen.

She stared at him, eyebrows furrowed as she tried to decide if she had _really_ just caught Joker staring at her ass. Joker remained glaring intently at her before he finally looked back down to the papers on the table as he took a sip from his mug. Kat, however, remained staring at him, feeling rather violated by his perverted and disgusting act. _And he says __**I'm**__ impulsive..._ Kat thought to herself as she rolled her eyes, but as she turned towards the sink a sudden idea came crashing into her mind.

"_Just because you can't control yourself, doesn't mean I can't,_" Joker had said to her, and she cocked an eyebrow as she stared at the faucet. _Yeah right_, Kat thought, a malicious grin sliding onto her lips. At that very moment she decided she was going to make Joker eat his words. She was going to prove to him that he was unable to control himself around her, and this time around she'd be coming out on top. She turned on the faucet to fill the mug, picturing in her mind the day that Joker would snap, grabbing her and kissing her like he had in the kitchen. She wanted to bring him down, and show him that he wasn't as calm and collected as he tried to appear. She tried to force the grin off of her face now as she turned the faucet off, and she placed her mug into the microwave.

"What are you _doing_?" Joker asked as he stared at her, wondering why the hell she was heating up a mug of water.

"Making tea," Kat answered simply, looking at him quickly before she turned to the cabinet that sat under the microwave to open it. Her back turned to him, that small grin appeared on her face again, and she dipped her back as she bent over to grab the new package of tea. She could feel Joker's gaze on her, and she slowly leaned back up, closing the cabinet before she placed the package on the counter to open it. Joker eyes wandered down her slim legs before he finally forced himself to look back at the paper.

Kat proceeded with placing her tea bag into the steaming mug, and she sat down at the table, waiting for it to seep. Joker glanced back up at her, wondering to himself why she was acting so at ease, especially after what had happened the day before. He cleared his throat as he sat up a little in his chair.

"So, you're _mother_ seems nice..." Joker started casually, and he grinned slightly when Kat glared up at him before she could take her first sip from her mug.

"Yeah," she as she raised her eyebrows. "She's _great_."

"Aw, don't be like that _Kathreen_," Joker said. "She's just worried! Like any mother would be..."

Kat lifted her eyes to glare heavily at him. She _hated_ being called 'Kathreen' almost more than she hated anything. She knew what he was trying to do, and she took a deep breath before she finally took a sip of her tea, the hot liquid slightly burning her mouth.

"It's all an act," she said, knowing this to be true. "And _don't_ call me Kathreen."

_Big mistake, Kitty-Kat_. Joker grinned at her, watching as she took another sip from her mug, the end of the tea bag hanging from the mug. "Aww, _Kathreen_, her crying seemed real to _me_. Give her break."

Kat shot Joker a furious look, and with a roll of her eyes she stood up, scooting the chair back as she did, and after picking up her mug she started towards the arch.

"Ah, ah," Joker said as he lifted his arm in the air to snap his fingers, and when Kat turned around he pointed at her chair. "No food or _drinks_ upstairs." He smiled at her, and for the first time as Kat stared back she noticed the rather large dimples on each side of his mouth, just before his scars. She stared at them before she forced her eyes to wander back up to his, and with a loud sigh she plopped back down at the table, crossing her arms as she leaned back. Joker's smile disappeared as he looked back down to the various papers on the table, leaving Kat to glare at him. Finally she looked away, trying erase the image of those deep dimples from her mind, and she realized if she wanted to break Joker she was going to have to try a little harder...

im really upset over the turn out on reviews guys :( please please please review. chapters come out sooner if you do.  
>also i highly encourage you to check out my facebook account for my stories &amp; add me as a friend! link found under the 'homepage' button on my profile.<p> 


	8. Let's Do This Now

The thunder clouds from the storm the night before faded away in the late morning sky, leaving the sun to shine brightly down on Gotham. At the house, tall trees that surrounded the building and driveway stood in few of it, blocking out the rays and dousing the house in big, oblong shadows, the perfect environment for a smoke break after a hard morning of watching TV on the thugs part, and collecting names for the meeting on Joker's. Standing in his usual spot, Joker exhaled the cigarette smoke from his nose, watching as Bacardi struggled to light his own. He looked away as he took another drag, and he stared at the red paint on the filter of the cigarette before he lowered it to his side, exhaling once again.

"So I haven't seen Kat all morning," Bozo started up as he looked over at Joker before glancing at Rocco and Henshaw, ignoring their glares. "You don't think she killed herself, do ya?"

Joker laughed slightly as he shook his head, and he rolled his eyes to the sky as he took another drag. Rocco, however, continued to glare deeply at Bozo while Henshaw stared at the ground.

"Why you always gotta ruin a perfectly good thing with bringing her up?" Rocco asked, leaving Bozo to shrug. "She ain't part of our group, she ain't nothin' special, she ain't _nothing, _so don't talk about her!"

"Such powerful words from the guy who never tried to get to know her," Bozo said as he leaned back slightly, smiling up at Rocco, enjoying the way he instantly turned his head to glare at him again with narrowed eyes.

"Who the fuck wants to? Everyday I gotta watch you try and fail and then deal with her stomping up the stairs like a baby. I can't stand it!"

"_Children_," Joker growled as he looked from Rocco then to Bozo. "Let's act like _adults_ here, yes?" He raised his eyebrows as he looked back over to Rocco, leaving him to bow his head while Bozo smirked to himself, taking the final hit on his cigarette. "Okay," he started up again. "Does anyone have anything _important_ to talk about?"

"I think we're gonna need to go to the store again, boss," Henshaw spoke up randomly after a short moment of silence, leaving everyone to look over at him. "We're about outta... frozen pizzas..."

"Okay," Joker started slowly, flicking his cigarette to the ground. "Since that's being considered as _important_, you two and Kat can go to the store...again." He started towards the porch, only to stop suddenly when Rocco spoke up.

"Oh, boss," he started, the memory suddenly coming to his mind. He paused, hesitant to bring it up now since he had waited so long. Truthfully he had just forgotten, but now he worried how Joker was going to react. "Last time we went to the store... Kat ran into someone..."

Joker slowly turned around, and he took a step closer to the brothers, his eyes narrowed on them. "Ran into someone?" He repeated, and he brought his head forward as he stared at Rocco. "_Who_?" He growled.

"Uh... I think her name was-"

"Selina," Henshaw finished his brothers sentence. Joker remained staring at them blankly, wondering to himself if Selina actually _had_ been killed. Had everything gone correctly at the bank, she should be dead...

"And why am I finding this out _now_?" He asked as he raised his eyebrows, leaving Rocco and Henshaw to stare at him at a loss for words, unable to answer his question. Joker closed his eyes tightly. "What _happened_? Did Kat say anything?"

"No, boss," Henshaw answered. "Selina thought we were Kat's cousins. She said she wanted to get together for lunch or something. S-she kept glaring at us though. Like she knew something was wrong, or somethin'."

Joker growled under his breath and stepped onto the porch to walk inside, leaving Bozo to shake his head at the brothers as he smiled gently.

"Man, you guys are _stupid_."

Annoyed at his thugs stupidity, Joker ventured slowly to his office, contemplating in his mind the best way to take care of this new situation. The first and easiest option was to simply kill her. It would take no time at all and prove to take care of the situation quickly and smoothly. But the more he thought about it the more he realized that maybe he could turn this into something beneficial for himself and his operation. Perhaps he'd let Kat get together with her, that way Kat could remain a known face in Gotham and be able to do the tasks Joker wouldn't be able to do himself, per say.

He opened the desk drawer in his office, bringing out Kat's phone and battery again. Once it was loaded, he scrolled through the missed class list, this time taking note of all the times Selina had called Kat. He turned now to the door with finality, deciding this was the best course of action to take. All Kat had to do was listen to his instruction carefully and do _exactly_ what she was told, otherwise, Joker knew, it would not end well for Selina _or_ Kat.

Just as Joker started up the stairs Kat opened her door, having finally woken up from a dead sleep, and she paused for a moment when she saw Joker heading up. Figuring he was just passing by she continued to the stairs, only to stop and stare at him when he motioned for her to go back into her room. Her eyes wandered down to the cellphone in his black gloved hand before they wandered back to his, and she let out a long breath as she turned around.

Closing the door behind him, Joker watched as Kat plopped down on her bed, and he took in her appearance of messy hair and tired eyes. Kat looked back up to him, and after letting out a small yawn she spoke.

"What?"

"Don't be so _grouchy_," Joker started, glaring at her as he made his way to her bed. He sat down next to her and dropped her phone into her lap. "It has been brought to my attention that you ran into _Selina_ at the story the other day." He tilted his head down and narrowed his eyes on her as Kat turned her head to face him.

"So?" She asked, looking back to the door. "Can I go now?"

Joker grinned slightly. "Sure, unless you want your dear friend to _die_." His grin widened when Kat faced him again, her lips slightly parted. "If you're smart, you'd listen to me." He continued to watch as Kat slumped down in her sitting position on the bed, and he straightened out his back as he leaned away from her slightly. "Today I want you to meet _Mizz Kyle_ somewhere – say, the coffee house on 2nd Street – and _assure_ her that everything is _swell_."

A look of confusion swept over Kat's annoyed face as she stared into Joker's eyes. "Why?" She asked. Why didn't Joker just kill her? What purpose would it hold for Kat to just go and lie to Selina. Granted she was happy she didn't have see Selina die, but Joker's command held too many questions.

Joker shrugged. "The rain's let up, the sun is shining, it just seems like the _perfect_ day to _get together_, don'tchya think?"

Kat continued to stare at him skeptically. She knew this would benefit him in some way, shape, or form, but Kat wasn't sure how, and she wasn't sure she really even wanted to know. She couldn't help but be annoyed, however, because now this meant she would be forced to spend the day out with one of Joker's goons and lie to the face of her friend. She was curious about how Selina's situation at the bank shooting, but not exactly enough to meet for coffee. Speaking of which...

"I hate coffee," Kat protested. "Can't we go somewhere else?"

Laughter escaped past Joker's lips as he shook head. "Of _course_ that would be your main concern," he said between giggles. "And no. Call her and tell her to meet you at _Julians_ around... let's say one o' clock." He watched as Kat selected Selina's number, hitting the speaker phone after. "Smart girl," he mumbled with a grin.

Kat ignored him and loosely held the phone in front of her lips, waiting for Selina to answer, and after around five or six rings she picked up. "Kat, _finally_."

"Hey, Selina," she said slowly.

"Hi. So what took you forever to call?" Selina immediately pressed on, causing Kat to roll her eyes up to the ceiling.

"I've been busy," Kat answered quickly. "Hey look we should get together today. Do you know where … _Julians_... is?"

"The coffee house on 2nd, yes," Selina said. "What time?"

"One."

"Sounds great. I'll meet you there." She hung up without another word, leaving Kat to stare at the phone with furrowed eyebrows as she hung up as well. Joker immediately took the phone from her and stood up.

"Go get ready," he said as he headed to the door, and without another word he exited her room and started down the stairs, leaving Kat to blankly stare at the door. With a huff she stood up a short minute, and after she started out of her room herself for a shower.

While the shower had been warm and soothing, just what Kat needed that morning, her calm mood changed instantly once she realized she had not brought any clothes to change in to. After squeezing her hair out in the tub, she grabbed her towel and wrapped herself in it before stepping out. Holding the towel up high in front of her, she stepped closed to the door, resting her ear against the wood to listen. All she could hear at first was the TV, but suddenly a very familiar burst of laughter captured her attention. She felt her stomach drop as she turned around with a sigh, but with further thought she realized she could use this situation to her advantage. The night before she had told herself she had to try harder with her attempt to break Joker, and it seemed opportunity had fallen right onto her lap.

She turned to face the big mirror behind the sink and wiped some of the steam off and stepped back to stare at herself as she re-adjusted her towel to fit the occasion. She gathered all her dripping hair and placed it over one shoulder, and once she was satisfied she turned back to the door. She could make out another voice other than Joker's, it sounded like Bacardi, but she was just going to have to swallow her pride and pretend that Joker was the only one in the living room. She closed her eyes and took in a giant, deep breath before she finally turned the handle.

Joker and Bacardi had been watching TV, the particular comedy stand-up show heightening Joker's mood after visiting Kat that morning. The door opening behind him, however, caught his attention, and with a wide grin he turned around, only for his grin to quickly fade. He watched as Kat stepped out of the bathroom, his eyes immediately wandering down to where the thin towel dipped low behind her, exposing her entire back. His eyes traveled up the deep curve of it until he stared at where she held it loosely in front of her, and just before she stared up the stairs she turned to him. His eyes narrowed on her when she gave him a smirk, staring directly into his eyes, until she started up the stairs, the towel just barely covering her ass as her hips swayed. He stared at her slim legs and watched as she pushed open her door. He was still staring when Kat turned around, and his eyebrows met in the middle as she grinned and shook her head, instantly closing her door after.

He slowly turned around, trying to fathom what the _fuck_ he had just seen. Next to him Bacardi was facing him, the same look of confusion on his face. Joker looked over to him, only to merely shrug a short second later and turn back to the TV, but he could not erase the image of Kat's back and legs from his mind...

Upstairs Kat was proudly grinning to herself as she went through her closet, trying to find something to wear. She settled on a pair of black, cotton pants, much like the blue ones she had worn the day before, and she chose to wear a dark blue halter top along with them. She brushed her hair out and ran her fingers through it as she looked at herself in the mirror, unable to get over the way Joker had been staring at her. Such a simple act had completely gotten his attention and even held it firmly. _This will be easy_.

After thinking over and planning her next attack, she started out of her room and stepped onto the landing, immediately noticing Bozo standing at the bottom of the stairs.

"Boss wants us to leave early," he told her as she made her way down.

"Why?" She asked, Bozo shrugging after as his response.

"Part of the plan," he answered simply, and he turned to head over to the door. Kat watched as Bacardi glanced at her from the living room before he finally started for the front door behind Bozo, closing it behind him. Slightly confused but figuring it wasn't important, Kat ignored the look he had given her, and she stepped over to the entrance platform to stand in front of the long, horizontal mirror above the table. It seemed everything was working out perfectly for her that day, for the second she turned to the mirror Joker's office door opened, and from the corner of her eye she watched as he made his way over to her. Trying to keep the need to grin under control, Kat reached into her pocket to draw out her clear, vanilla lip gloss.

"Alright, Kitty-Kat, here's the plan," Joker immediately started once he approached her and he stepped onto the platform himself, looking down as he rummaged around in his pockets. "You're getting there early as to not raise suspicion. Bozo and Bacardi will be sitting around you _listening_, so don't try anything _cute_." He finally looked up once he had found the ten dollar bill he had tucked away for the occasion along with her cell phone, but he paused once his eyes fell on Kat. He watched her as she leaned over the table, her plump lips slightly parted as she slowly applied her lip gloss. He watched as the wand easily glided over her lips, and he caught Kat's quick glance at him through the mirror before they wandered back down to her lips. His eyebrows met in the middle again as he watched her through the mirror now, and he had to wonder what was going on with her today.

"Hey," he started now, and he took a step closer to her. "_Listen_ to me." He watched as she smacked her lips together in the mirror before she finally turned to him, and she looked up to stare into his eyes. He narrowed his own eyes on her with a slight growl. "At _exactly_ one thirty a cab will pull up next to the curb. You_ need_ to be in it to come back here, and if you just so happen to _miss_ the cab?" He was about to go on, but instead all he could focus on was watching Kat as she placed her pointer finger into her mouth, never breaking eye contact. She slowly pulled it from her mouth, removing any excess gloss, and she bravely turned back to the mirror to use another finger to trace around her lips, taking off any gloss that had gone onto her skin. Suddenly it seemed Joker couldn't remember what he saying, and all he could wonder was what the _fuck_ Kat was doing and it was hazing his mind. He continued to stare at her, deep in thought, until suddenly he blinked a few times, a feeling of realization sweeping over him slowly.

Kat turned back to him and fought the urge to grin as she stared at his blank face while he continued to stare at her lips. "What were you saying?" She asked casually now, a little _too_ casually for Joker. He blinked slowly again before he cleared his throat.

"Just _don't_ miss that cab," he growled. "I'll uh, be _waiting_ for you when you get home." He extended his arm to hand her the bill and phone, grinning slightly at her as he did so.

Kat cocked an eyebrow before she finally took the items, and she turned around to open the door, hoping that Joker was staring at her ass as she stepped out of the house. A sense of accomplishment washed over her as she headed over to the car Bozo and Bacardi were waiting in, and her mind wandered away as she got into the car, trying to think of ways she could get him once she got home. If she was to push just a _little_ harder, she knew he'd surely snap in _no time_.

–

Kat's mind was quick to fall off course once she had actually gotten settled in the vehicle. Unlike Rocco, Bozo's car was clean, but the stench of cigarettes was even more unbearable. Fortunately the ride to the coffee shop was a lot quicker than the trip to the grocery store had been, and Kat was thankful that at least her window was rolled down, but the smell still found a way to clench to her and was making her feel sick.

Finally, nearly a good half hour later, Bozo parked in front of Juliansand was quick to immediately turn around to Kat. "You get that money from Joker?" He waited for Kat to nod, and once she did he went on to explain further what Kat was to do. She rolled her eyes and pushed open the car door, slamming it closed behind her while she stomped over to the coffeehouse's door. Upon entering, the first thing Kat noticed was how empty the building was, with no more than five people occupying the tables. The floors were made of dark wood and the tables, chairs and booths matched while the entire house reeked of coffee. Kat wrinkled her nose in disgust and headed over to the counter.

"Welcome to Julians, what can I get for you this afternoon?" The boy behind the counter flashed Kat a big, forced smile while her eyes wandered up to the giant menu behind him. Thrown slightly off guard by the massive choice of drinks, Kat's lips parted slightly as her eyes quickly scanned over it.

"I'll have a frappuccino," she said slowly, and she looked back down to the boy. He blinked at her, his light blue eyes bright, and his smile twitched slightly.

"What kind, ma'am?" He stared at Kat's dumbfounded face as her eyes quickly wandered back up to the menu. He cleared his throat. "Caramel, is a popular one."

"Sure," Kat said flatly, and she reached into her pocket to hand the boy the folded ten dollar bill just as Bacardi and Bozo made their way into the building. They stood in line behind her, and Kat waited impatiently to be handed back her change and drink.

Finally she made her way over to a booth and she slid in, sitting close to the window. She glared down at the ice drink in front of her, frowning at it. With a sigh she dipped her finger into the whipped cream on top and licked it off her finger, thinking the act would be a perfect attack on Joker. She dipped her finger into it again and she glanced up as Bozo and Bacardi stared past her, Bacardi staring at her again. Kat's eyebrows met in the middle, and she waited until he walked past to put her finger in her mouth.

Bozo and Bacardi sat in the booth directly behind Kat, leaving her to slouch down and wish she didn't have to do this. With all the whipped cream gone now, Kat used the straw the stir around the drink, not tempted at all to even taste it. Bozo and Bacardi were silent behind her, and she stared out the window at all the traffic passing by on the road just beyond the sidewalk.

A good ten minutes later, Kat turned her head to the door when the small bell on top went off, and she forced a small smile as Selina stepped into the shop. She smiled back and held her pointer finger up to her as she stepped into the line at the counter.

"Don't do anything stupid," Bozo warned quickly as he slightly turned his head to face her, but Kat ignored him and leaned forward, pushing her drink further away from her. Finally, once Selina had purchased her coffee, she made her way over to Kat and sat down on the opposite side of her.

"So, what took you so long to get in touch?" She immediately asked asked again in a hasty tone as she went about removing her thin jacket, leaving Kat to stare at her. She finally glanced back up at Kat, and a small, guilty grin spread onto her red lips. "I'm sorry," she started with a small laugh. "It's just, I mean, after what happened with... _you know who_... I just got worried and concerned. I mean, how could I not, you know?"

"I'm not accusing you," Kat said. "I get it. It was um... _odd_." It felt weird talking to Selina knowing that Bozo and Bacardi were right behind her, listening to her every word. Selina, on the other hand was listening intently as she picked up her steaming hot coffee, waiting for a further and much more detailed explanation. "I-I mean after that night, I woke up in my apartment and I've never seen or heard from him since..."

"Well what did you do when you woke up that morning, Kat?" Selina pressed on quietly as to not let anyone else hear. "Did you call the police? How do you know he won't come back? I mean obviously he got in your apartment before don't you think he could just-"

"I went to my cousin's house," Kat quickly blurted out. "And I didn't call the cops because... I figured they wouldn't do anything." Kat swallowed slightly a she looked away, thinking about how terrible of a liar she was.

"Kat you are _so_ stubborn." Selina shook her head as she placed her cup on the table. "I don't think you'll ever realize how dangerous that _idiot_ is."

_I think you're right_, Kat thought in her head, fighting the urge to grin. Behind her she heard Bacardi and Bozo snicker, and it took all she had in her not to roll her eyes. She watched as Selina leaned back now with a sigh, extending her arms in front of her to place her fingers around the hot cup.

"I thought you didn't have family here," she started now, skepticism thick in her voice. She glanced up at Kat slowly while she struggled to come up with an answer.

"I-I do," she said. "They're not exactly my favorite people in the word-" this was true. "-But I figured I might as well stay with them until... you know, I felt..._safe_."

Any moron would have believed that, but Selina still found herself unsure about the whole situation. It just didn't seem right. She had lived in Gotham her whole life, so she had seen all those newspaper stories on what Joker had done to all those women he had kidnapped. It just didn't make sense for him to abduct Kat one night and leave her alone after.

"Look," Kat started again as she leaned forward. "I came to Gotham to be _alone_, to start over as my own person. So, by not mentioning that yes, unfortunately I _do_ have family here, I thought that maybe it would help. I-I guess in my mind I came here of all places because it comforted me to know I had some family here, in case anything happened." She raised her eyebrows as she stared a Selina, mentally praising herself for what she had just said. _Not bad_.

"So, you're staying with them now? Where do they live?"

"More, uptown... in a gated community..." Kat swallowed as she leaned back again.

"_So_, you had to take a ferry to get here?"

"No," Kat immediately said, but judging by the blank expression on Selina's face she quickly wished she had said yes.

"Okay," she finally said as she raised her eyebrows, and she took a sip of her coffee. "I believe you... _I guess_," she lied, but she knew Kat most likely wasn't going to come out with the truth. Something was seriously wrong here, but Selina knew she'd have to find out some other way to find out. "Well, I don't know if you know this, but... you know that shooting at the bank that happened last week?" Kat nodded, and she took a deep breath. "I was in it."

Kat faked a look of surprise as she leaned forward. "Oh my God," she said as she purposely widened her eyes. "What happened?"

"As my luck would have it, I just so happened to be in the bank the day _Joker_ decided to rob it. After he left, his stupid thug's went on this _mass murder_ type deal and just shot all around the bank, killing almost everyone."

Kat no longer had to fake a look of surprise now as she wondered _how_ Selina had managed to get out of that alive. Behind her she heard Bozo and Bacardi stifle their laughter, but she easily ignored them as she waited for Selina to go on.

"I guess the desk I was hiding behind saved my life," she said as a smile spread onto her face. "I mean yeah it was traumatic, but it made me realize just how much everyone takes their life for granted, you know? That day made me realize that I do. I mean for _years_ now I haven't done _anything_ that makes me happy. You gotta get some kind of enjoyment out of everyday because tomorrow is not guaranteed, you know?"

Kat's eyebrows met in the middle as she listened so Selina's words of wisdom, slightly thrown off by this. Perhaps that was the reason why she was acting so different? But now Selina sighed before going on.

"So, I quit my job," Selina went on, smiling widely.

"How are you going to pay for your apartment?" Kat questioned quickly, but Selina only shrugged.

"I'm not sure," she said. "But since leaving Shreck's I'm a much happier person, Kat. It's great! I'm free to... do _whatever_ I want..."

Kat smiled at this now. "That's good," she said. Silence fell on the two girls while Selina focused on finishing her coffee and Kat stared out of the window in thought. It was bewildering to her how that situation had completely changed Selina's outlook on life, though it was refreshing to have her not be so paranoid about everything. Kat knew it didn't matter though. After today she'd most likely never see or hear from her for a long time.

A cab passing by on the street suddenly caused Kat to snap out of her daze, and she quickly reached into her pocket for her cell phone Joker had let her bring along. She checked the time, and in a panic she immediately started out of the booth.

"Where are you going?" Selina asked quickly as she watched Kat stand up, her eyes wide as she stared up at her.

"I'm sorry," she started. "But I have a job interview at two, and I really need to go."

"Are you kidding me?" Selina asked now, annoyance laced in her voice as her eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"I'm sorry," Kat repeated quickly, and without another word she quickly left the shop. She stood at the end of the sidewalk and looked up the street, noticing the taxi parked against the curb out of view from Selina, and she reached her arm out as if she was signaling for a cab. At one thirty on the dot, exactly a short minute later, the parked taxi pulled up to the curb, and Kat immediately threw the door open and got in, leaving Selina to watch, completely confused by Kat's random action.

"Well I'm impressed," the taxi driver started, and Kat's eyes grew wide when she looked forward, and through the rear view mirror she stared at the very familiar cab driver. Leroy grinned at her as he turned left onto an unfamiliar street. "It's all coming together, ain't it? Joker is a ridiculously smart guy. He knows pretty much _everybody_."

Kat looked away from him and stared out of the window, annoyed as she thought back to her encounters with Leroy, it all making sense car grew silent, and Kat sighed as she leaned her head back, closing her eyes as she tried to clear her mind of everything that had gone on.

–

With the time nearing seven thirty and the sun out of view, Kat opened her bedroom door and stepped onto the landing, slowly making her way towards the stairs in the almost complete darkness. The TV in the living room was on and loud, Rocco and Henshaw's identical and obnoxious laughter overpowering the show. With a small grumble Kat tried her best to ignore them as she ventured down the stairs and into the kitchen, where she snapped on the the light. Squinting her eyes slightly, she opened the fridge and grabbed a cold bottle of water, immediately removing the cap to take a large sip from the bottle. With a small sigh she pulled back a chair from the corner of the table and sat down, slouching down a bit.

Since getting home from the coffee shop, Kat had spent the rest of the day shut up in her room, painting small, random things here and there or lounging on her bed, brainstorming of ways she could push Joker over the edge with her own little game. She hadn't heard from Joker since she had gotten home, but she couldn't complain about this, and rather was just happy to have some time to herself where she could be alone with her thoughts. She was certain that Joker would have been quick to pester her for information about what happened, or demanded his change and her cell phone back, but since getting home and stepping into the kitchen in present time, his office and bedroom door had remained closed. Kat had merely shrugged it off, though, figuring Bozo and Bacardi had reported back once they had arrived home a good hour after Kat, leaving Joker no reason to talk to her.

She spent a good majority of the day thinking back to all that she had told Selina. While it was bewildering she had made it out of the bank shooting alive, and while she was slightly dumbfounded over Selina's brand new outlook on life, she spent the majority of the time reflecting on the lies she had told. She could tell Selina didn't buy a word of what she said and Kat didn't blame her. Kat was a pretty bad liar, mainly due to the fact that she was a painfully truthful person. She had no reason to lie. Being new in Gotham, however, and not knowing where anything was, Kat had been caught off guard by Selina's questions, which left it even more difficult to lie to her. She knew if Joker was _really_ smart, like Leroy had said, he would have told Kat _exactly _what to say. But this had only lead her into wondering why he let her do this in the first place.

Now, Kat stared at the time on the microwave, debating with herself on whether or not it was too early to go to bed, when the sound of a door opening upstairs caught her attention. Figuring it was just Bozo, she looked down to the bottle of her water, tiredly studying the label until she absentmindedly raised her eyes to the stairs just outside the arch of the kitchen, and all of the sudden her stomach dropped when her eyes fell on Joker...

Her lips parted slightly as she went lightheaded, and time seemed nonexistent as she watched a completely shirtless Joker make his way downstairs. With his black pinstripe pants low around his waist, her eyes fell onto the suspenders that hung lose on either side of him, moving slightly with each step he took down the stairs. Her eyes wandered slowly up his torso, pausing at his muscular chest to notice the small nipple ring that gleamed in the blue light of the TV and light from the kitchen that bled onto the stairs. Her eyebrows rose at the sight of his half sleeve of tattoos that covered the top of his right arm and shoulder, his arms slender but also gently defined with muscle.

Finally Kat's eyes wandered up to his just as he stepped under the arch of the kitchen. A smirk came to play on Joker's face as he eyed Kat up and down quickly from where she sat at the table before he moved on to grab a glass from the cabinet, and he could feel Kat's heavy gaze on him as he reached up easily for the glass. He remained silent as he went about grabbing the orange juice from the fridge, and after he went about pouring it and putting it back he turned around to lean against the counter.

Finally Kat forced herself to blink and look away, the room still spinning as she focused on taking a big sip of water. She could feel Joker's eyes on her, and her heart raced widely as she tried desperately to erase the image of Joker's upper body from her mind. She closed her eyes tight, trying to picture _anything_ but him, but all she saw was Joker, shirtless, with those damn suspenders hanging on either side of his legs...

"So, Kat." His voice was low and rough, his tone clear and confident. "How did the meeting go?"

Kat swallowed as she took another sip of water, and after taking a deep breath she finally turned to him. Her mind went blank momentarily as she took in the sight of him comfortably leaned against the counter, his tattooed arm bent at the elbow as he loosely held the glass of orange juice while he grabbed hold of the counter with the other. She forced herself to keep her eyes starting directly into his as she cleared her throat to speak.

"Fine," she said simply, and she slowly turned her head away. _Why _was she reacting this way to him? It made absolutely no sense...

"Fine?" Joker repeated now. "Don't you want to tell me what happened?"

"Not really," Kat said as she glanced over at him quickly before she looked back to her water she held on to on the table. She tilted her head to the side, doing everything she could not to look at him, regardless of how tempting it was.

Joker smirked to himself again as he stared at Kat, laughing to himself in his mind over her pathetic attempt not to look at him. It was plainly obvious, and it brought him intense joy to squander Kat's little game right before her eyes. He quickly finished the rest of his orange juice before he placed the glass on the counter.

"You sure?" Joker asked now. "You sure she didn't, oh...pick up on your little _lying_ _game_? Did your stories turn out as truthful sounding as you wanted?" He cocked an eyebrow, waiting for her to answer, but he didn't give her much of an option to as he leaned off the counter, and he stepped forward to the table to place a hand on the back of her chair while he rested the other on the table. "Oh, and speaking of games, _Kitty-Kat_-" Joker leaned closer to her, his face just a mere few inches from hers as she finally looked up to him, and he stared deep into her eyes. "-I _know_ what you're trying to do, so here's me telling you it won't work. Just remember, what comes around, _goes around_."

Kat's jaw dropped as he grinned widely and he slowly leaned away from her. "_Good night_," he said now, and after giving her a short wave he turned around to head back upstairs, grinning to himself upon the feeling of knowing he was being closely watched.

Dumbfounded, Kat looked back down to her water, her eyebrows furrowed and her jaw hanging slack as she reflected on what had just happened. The only conclusion that seemed logical at this point was Joker had picked up on her attempts to break him, and he had thrown them right back into her face. A quick surge of anger charged through Kat at the realization that his attack back on her had unfortunately _worked_; sadly her heart had not stopped racing since he had started down the stairs, and she had to wonder why she found Joker's body to be so _attractive._ Kat closed her eyes as she tried to remember back to her subtle attacks on him, trying to remember how he had reacted. _Yeah_, she thought to herself. _He __**definitely **__noticed_. But she didn't know he had actually picked up on what she was doing to him...

With a large sigh she stood abruptly from the table, capping her water angrily as she stormed up the stairs. Her eyes shifted over to Joker's closed door before she forced them to face forward again as she pushed open her door, closing it noisily behind her her. She set her water down on the end table before she plopped onto her bed, rising and falling gently as her rapid angry and confused thoughts took over her mind. How was it even possible that she had even reacted to that image of him? And how had she never noticed all those tattoos before? Back at the hotel she had noticed him sleeping that one night, shirtless...

She shook her head as she fell to a laying position on her side, and she stared at the door in front of her. With Joker in on her game now, she knew she had to try even _harder_ to get him before he could get her. Much to Kat's dismay, Joker held the power to break her, he already had broken her with those three kisses, but on the same note Kat had to remember she had just as much of an affect on him as he did with her; she held the power as well. She had to prove herself to be the stronger one here, she _had_ to break him before he could shatter her. All she had to do was remain strong and ignore his attempts as best as she could, and fire back with even more accuracy and twice the dedication...

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	9. Coming Undone

After waking up peacefully from a deep night's slumber, and after taking a shower and getting dressed, Joker stood in front of his large mirror in the steamy bathroom as he applied his face-paint. After closing the white container and placing it on the counter he opened up the black and he rubbed his finger around the small octagon shaped container before leaning in closer to the mirror to sloppily smear it all around his left eye. He began to hum to himself quietly as he proceeded on to the next eye, and once finished, he closed the container and wiped his fingers quickly on the stained towel next to him. Once he had painted on his trademark, red smile over his scars, the skin bumpy as his fingers traveled over it, he rubbed his hands together as he stepped back to admire his work. Satisfied, he turned off the light and ventured into his room.

All morning he could not stop thinking about the way Kat had gawked at him when her eyes fell onto his shirtless upper frame. He grinned to himself as he rummaged around in the top drawer of his black dresser, and he took out a pair of black socks. While he wanted to be angry at Kat for her game of taunting and teasing him, he just couldn't. He knew it would be much more satisfying and fun to fire back and make her lose her own game than it would be to simply just hurt her. This way he'd feel a big (but easily obtained) sense of accomplishment and he'd get to enjoy Kat's misery. Now as he sat on the edge of his messy, unmade bed, putting on his socks, he thought of more ways he could get to Kat. He knew he didn't have to get too creative, however, because just the simple sight of him shirtless had driven Kat up the wall.

But on the other hand, the simplicity of Kat's acts had, unfortunately and admittedly, gotten to him just as much. The image of her lean back with that deep dip came to his mind, as well the image of her plump lips wrapping around her finger as she slowly pulled it from her mouth. And what was the biggest one of all that there was no escaping was the near perfection of Kat's ass. He closed his eyes as he pulled his sock up as far it would go, remembering how full, round and firm it always looked, regardless of what pants she was wearing. With a large sigh he opened his eyes, reminding himself that all he had to do here was stay strong, and not let his real emotion from her attacks show. _Easy_.

He stood up now and grabbed the small, fancy bottle of cologne that sat on an old desk of sorts on the wall adjacent from the dresser, and after spraying himself with some he put it down and stepped in front of his full length mirror that sat right next to his door. After brushing a piece of his damp hair from the right side his face to the left, he proceeded with opening his door to step onto the landing.

The sound of a beer bottle being opened from the living room caught Joker's attention, and he rolled his eyes up to the ceiling as he started down the stairs once he noticed Bacardi on the couch. Joker took a short second to praise himself for his talent of nicknaming people accordingly before he glanced over his shoulder to Kat's closed bedroom door. He carried on into the kitchen to grab a glass of orange juice, and after taking note of the time he headed over to stand behind the couch.

"Little bit early, eh?" Joker asked, taking Bacardi by surprise. Nearly spitting out the bitter liquid in his mouth, he jumped as he turned to face Joker with a confused expression. Joker nodded to the beer in his hand before he took a sip of his orange juice, leaving Bacardi to let out a dopey-sounding laugh.

"Oh. What time is it?"

"Eleven thirty," Joker answered simply, watching as Bacardi slowly looked back to the bottle in his hand. A short second after he tipped it up to his lips, taking a large sip before he turned back to the TV, leaning his head back against the couch.

With a sigh, Joker finished his orange juice and he started to turn around. "Has Kat come downstairs yet?" He wondered out loud as he headed to the kitchen to place his glass in the sink.

"I don't think so," Bacardi answered. "Want me to go wake her up?"

He spoke his question with such volume and enthusiasm, it caused Joker to raise an eyebrow. "No," he said slowly in that clowny tone. "_I'll_ do it," he growled a second later, figuring it best to just wake her up now, for he planned on having her accompany him on his journey to Joey's club later on that evening. He moved to the stairs, glaring up at Kat's door as he started up them, moving his fingers in a walking motion on the railing. Once on the landing he stepped over to Kat's door and placed his hand on the knob, turning it before he pushed the door open quickly. He stopped a short second after however, his jaw falling open as his eyes fell onto Kat bent over with her ass in the air right in front of him. He felt his heart give a violent lurch as he blinked, his eyes wide, and all too quickly Kat let out a loud shout as she quickly turned around, pulling up her pants all the way up to her stomach.

"Oh my _God_!" She screamed at him. "Don't you know how to _knock?_" She stared expectantly at him as she proceeded with buttoning and zipping up her mint green cargo pants before she went about pulling them down slightly to rest on her hips. Joker was still staring at her, at a loss for words as he continued to picture how Kat's round butt had looked in that black, tiny thong...

Finally he cleared his throat and after quickly glancing at her up and down, taking in the sight of her baggy pants and small, black tank top, he narrowed his eyes on her. "Well goodness, Kitty-Kat, I'm _sorry_," he said sarcastically as he tilted his head to side, faking sincerity. "Maybe you should pick a better spot to get dressed."

"Oh right, because this is _my _fault," Kat snapped at him, her anger blinding her ability to think clearly and realize that maybe she _shouldn't_ be taking such a strong tone with Joker. But at the moment she didn't care. Her heart was racing and her body was shaking slightly due to the fit of rage. "What do you want?"

Joker's face fell at her biting tone, and just before he was about to absentmindedly take action over this, he stopped himself and took in a deep, quiet breath before lowering his head slightly, a grin spreading onto his lips. The image was still fresh in his mind, and painfully, his heart had not stopped racing, but he kept himself calm and collected as he took a step closer to Kat, peering down at her face as she angrily looked up at him. A breath-filled laugh escaped from him as he circled around her, dousing goosebumps on Kat's arms. His grin widened as he noticed this and he leaned down closer to her shoulder, his lips inches from her ear.

"Maybe you shouldn't take such a hostile tone with me, _Kitty-Kat_."

His breath was warm on her neck, and Kat swallowed as her heart began to race faster, and she could feel the miniscule bumps that coated her arms. Her lips parted slightly but she didn't dare turn to face him; she knew what he was doing. Rather she remained staring at the bottom left corner of her door frame, deciding to just let it all play out and try her best _not_ to react any further to his closeness or low, dangerous tone.

"If you do, you might just miss out on our little... _field trip._" Joker licked his lips slowly, glancing down at her arms again, the temptation to place his hands on her hips much too great for his liking. He bit down on the inside of his scar as he circled around her, staring down into her eyes as he stood directly in front now.

Kat's eyebrows met in the middle with confusion as she looked away from him now. "Field trip?" She smirked at his choice of words, her confidence causing Joker's grin to twitch slightly. "Where?"

"You'll see," Joker said. "But you can only go if you be _nice_."

Kat frowned at his tone, he was talking to her as if she was a child, and with another smirk Joker backed towards her door and left the room silently, the strong scent of his cologne lingering. Kat breathed out deeply from her nose, as if pushing the smell away from her, but once she inhaled again as she turned back towards the mirror she picked up on the rich scent and she groaned to herself as she rubbed her hands furiously over her arms to rid herself of the unwanted goosebumps.

She was angry that Joker had picked up on her game and attempts, and even more furious that him simply doing almost _nothing_ had gotten a rise out of her. Finally, as the seconds ticked on, her heart beat was starting to slow down and she was able to think more clearly. Pushing aside Joker's warm breath and deep, alluring voice from her mind, she tried to plan out her next move. While she felt violated over Joker's barging in to her bedroom while her pants were down, she tried to think of how she could turn the situation into something that would benefit her. She had seen his face when she turned around, a look of surprise and complete blank mindedness had overcome Joker as he stood there, slowly lifting his eyes to stare into her own. Cocking an eyebrow as she stared at herself in the mirror, she turned to the side and straightened her back, letting her eyes roam over the deep dip of her back and over her ass and slender legs hidden by her baggy pants. Obviously, at least towards Joker, she had the goods, her body was a weapon of sorts in this battle, and all she had to do was harness its power.

She hooked her thumbs under the thin strings of her thong and she gently pulled them up, allowing them to rest on her hips _just_ over the top of her pants. After adjusting her shirt and fixing the clump of mascara that had formed on her eyelashes, she turned towards the door with finality and marched down the stairs where she found Joker, alone thankfully, in the kitchen.

He was standing in front of the sink, rinsing out a glass with a blank expression, allowing for Kat to quietly step into the kitchen, and she slid over to stand silently behind him as she raised herself on her tip toes to bring her own lips that much closer to his ear.

"So," she purred in a low, sultry voice of her own, and she grinned when she noticed Joker jump slightly, and he cocked an eyebrow as he slowly peered over his shoulder to stare down at her. "Did you like what you saw?" She swiftly slid away from him, and she rested her forearm on the counter directly in front of Joker, and she tilted her head as she looked up at him, her thin and arch-shaped eyebrows expectantly raised. Joker stared at her with narrowed eyes before he finally cleared this throat, shrugging after.

"I've seen better." Was this a lie? He had no idea at this point, but he had been cautious to lace his voice with heavy flatness as to not give Kat any hint that unfortunately the sight of her body had sent a violent stab of shivers all throughout him. She grinned now as she rolled her eyes, tilting her head down and to the side even further.

"Yeah," she said with a short laugh. "_Okay_." She leaned off the counter now, and she took a step closer to him, eying his suspenders and breathing in the scent of his strong cologne. She stopped short quickly, for it seemed that her own attack on Joker was back firing, but once she looked up towards his face she ate up his blank expression as he stared down at her, his eyes slightly widened. "I think you're lying," she said, her low voice just above a whisper, and she debated with reaching out her hand to place it on his chest. Instead she slid her finger under the strap of his left suspender, again feeling a negative effect due to just _touching_ him, but his blank stare and stiff body language told her she was doing something right on her part.

Joker cocked an eyebrow as he glanced down to her finger wrapped around the black suspender strap before they wandered back up to her face. His eyes fell on her parted lips and he stared at them, thinking how it was almost as if her lips were too plump to keep closed, and they always resorted to staying comfortably open. Her could smell the vanilla gloss on them as they shone in the bright kitchen lights on the ceiling, and finally a forced, low laugh that erupted from the pit of his stomach caused him to finally snap out of his thoughts. "You're a brave girl, _Kitty-Kat_," he as he lowered his head to stare at her from under the ridge of his eyebrows. Kat kept on a firm face but her heart began to race again as Joker wrapped his bare, face-paint stained fingers loosely around Kat's wrist, taking away her hand from his chest, and he gently lowered it towards her body, never breaking eye contact.

He smirked at her as he took a step backwards before turning to the table to sit down in the corner. "You're gonna lose your little game, Kat," Joker warned, despite how fast his own heart was beating and how lightheaded he felt. "This can't go on forever."

"I'm counting on it," Kat said back firmly. She remained staring into his eyes before she turned around to face the arch, and with a smirk she bent over slowly to "fix" the bottom of her pant leg. She could feel Joker's gaze as he stared at her exposed thong, the small triangle of fabric and thin strings resting perfectly against her light skin, and all too soon Kat stood up straight and headed around the corner, deciding she had won this round.

–

Feeling rather confident and overpowered, Kat had spent the rest of the late morning and early afternoon cleaning all her painting supplies that had been sitting out for a while now. She couldn't get her mind off how _perfect_ her attack back to Joker had been, and figured she was safe for a while. As she cleaned, however, she had to wonder where she would be accompanying Joker later on. Something didn't feel right about her being stuck in a car with him, but she knew she wouldn't have a choice in the matter, so all she could do was not let it bother her and remain the one who had the upper hand on the situation.

Once her brushes and pallet were rinsed off, and after she had made her bed, Kat stood frowning at her large pile of clothes in the corner. She glanced into her near empty closet, and with a large, annoyed noise of protest she started out of her room, peering around the corner towards Joker's closed bedroom door. She stepped over to it, and after straightening her back she knocked three times, but after a moment or two received no answer. Rolling her eyes, she turned around and started down the stairs, this time stepping in front of his office door. Something seemed off about her disturbing him in his office, but Kat reminded herself that she _needed_ to get her laundry done. So she sucked in a breath and knocked on the door, the sounds from her knuckles breaking the house's eerie silence.

A short moment later, Kat heard the door unlock before it was opened gently, and Joker's eyes immediately fell down to her. He raised an eyebrow at her, silently asking what she wanted.

"I need to do laundry," Kat stated boldly. "Where are the machines?"

Kat felt her stomach drop as she watched a slow, creepy grin spread onto Joker's lips, knowing his answer wouldn't be a good one. "It's downstairs," he said, nodding once, and his grin expanded into a smile when he saw Kat's face fall into a large frown. "_Have fun_," he sing-songed, and without another word he closed the door.

Kat remained standing in front of the door, her head bowed and her eyes closed in thought. With a huff, she finally turned around and marched up the stairs, completely not up for a trip downstairs where Joker's four main idiots were. Her eyebrows furrowed as she collected the pile of clothes easily in her arms, and she started downstairs, swallowing before she started down the dark, hidden hallway.

Just around the corner sat a set of old, wooden stairs, and just below them she could see the bright blue light from the TV, followed by the sound of laughter and mumbled voices. She rolled her eyes to the ceiling as she took a deep breath, readying herself for the annoying chaos that surely waited for her downstairs. If it wasn't Rocco complaining about her, it was Bozo trying to strike up an unfriendly conversation, and Kat hated it all.

Finally Kat started down the stairs, the old wood creaking noisily under her light weight, causing the four men to stop short in their discussion and listen as someone ventured down the stairs. They all turned to the doorway, clear of any door, and waited to see who would appear. Rocco and Henshaw immediately rolled their eyes and turned away while Bozo and Bacardi were left to stare, somewhat confused, until a sly grin appeared on Bozo's face. Kat shook her head, quick to notice the two large machines that sat against the wall right next to her, and she plopped her clothes onto the dryer.

"What are you _doing_ down here?" Rocco barked at her, his good mood completely squandered now. Her back to them, Kat rolled her eyes as she lifted the lid to the washing machine.

"What's it _look_ like I'm doing?" She rudely asked back as she peered at them all over her shoulder, and she was quick to start putting her clothes into the machine, being careful to hide any underwear from the boys in the pile. From behind her Rocco shook his head as he turned back to the TV, mumbling to himself while Bozo turned back to the TV as well. Bacardi, however, had not stopped watching.

Once her clothes were in the washer, Kat glanced up to the shelf above, relieved to see that yes, there actually _was_ laundry soap left. She reached up, the bottom of her shirt rising a great amount, and Bacardi's eyes widened when he saw a hint of her black thong showing itself from under her lose pants. His eyes slowly traveled back up to her head before he looked away to open his beer.

"Hey, Kat," he spoke up, his voice slightly higher toned than the rest of the crew. Kat paused, and she slowly peered over her shoulder, confused as to why Bacardi had spoken to her. "Why don't you come have a drink with us?" He grinned slightly as he raised up his beer, shaking the bottle slightly. A grin formed on Kat's face before a snort of laughter escaped from her nose.

"Don't you think it's a little early?" She asked as she proceeded with choosing the settings on the washer. Bacardi cocked an eyebrow as he looked at her, but Bozo was quick to interrupt.

"Two o' clock isn't early," he protested in defense for his friend. "Come sit."

"Man, would you shut up? Why the hell do you want her to stay down here. You can _go_ now," Rocco said in a very childish manner as he turned to face her, glaring deeply into her eyes. Kat only grinned at him, and while it was tempting to piss him off and actually go sit down, the smarter part of her told her it was best to leave.

"As much as I'd _love_ to sit and get drunk with you, I have _better_ things to do."

Laughter erupted from them all as she started up the stairs, and she hoped silently to herself that they would not do anything to her laundry. Once she reached the top of the stairs she quickly exited the dark hallway, fast to decide she wasn't particularly a fan of that area of the house. With not much else to do Kat plopped onto the couch in the living room and flipped on the TV.

–

Joker had spent the majority of the day in his office, either working on his plans for the city or relaxing on his couch. The entire time, however, his mind had been racing, thinking thought after thought, mainly about Kat. It sort of surprised him to see how great the impact he had over Kat was, but what upset him was her impact on _him_ was just as great. He thought back to the ridiculously low and smooth voice she had used and how she had so bravely reached out and dared to _touch_ him. His scars twitched into a smirk; he had to admire that, really. No other girl had ever proved to be brave enough to so much as bat an eyelash at him.

Kat had confidence, and her strong mind willed her to not give up, even when Joker decided to join in her game. While he couldn't help but actually like that about her, he also knew that when _he_ won, his victory over her would be that much stronger, making her feel that much lower. The game was fun, he had to admit, but all games had to come to an end eventually, and Joker sensed the end drawing nearer and nearer.

But it wasn't like the fun had to stop there. He knew that even after he won, once Kat had finally broken down and given in to him, her confidence lost, Joker would finally have all access to her. Granted he could do _whatever_ he wanted to her right now if he really wanted, it would be so much more fun and satisfying to break her mind first. Knowing he was safe in his mind, Joker was free to admit that unfortunately he found Kat to be rather attractive, and he knew Kat found him to be the same. But when the time for Kat to break would finally come, it would only open up a world of opportunity.

Now, at precisely six forty-three, Joker stepped out of his office, quietly closing the door behind him, and he peered into the living room and kitchen, searching for Kat. He turned to the stairs and stared up at her closed door, and in no mood to walk up them, he rolled his eyes to the ceiling before barking out her name loudly.

From her room, the noise had startled her, and with a sigh she lazily stepped over to her door and calmly opened it, raising her eyebrows expectantly when she stared down at Joker. He motioned her to come downstairs with his purple gloved finger, and with another loud sigh, she stepped onto the landing, closing her door, and she started down the stairs. "Are we leaving?"

"Sure are," Joker answered, quick to turn around and start over to the front door. Annoyed already, Kat slowly followed, and Joker went about collecting his keys from the table while Kat slipped on her sandals. The sun was just about fully set outside and the air was chilly as Kat followed Joker to the Tahoe. She stopped at the passenger side, waiting patiently for him to unlock the door, and once he pressed the button, she threw the door open and plopped inside the tall truck.

"Where are we going?" She asked as she looked over to Joker, watching as he closed his door and put the keys into the ignition. He turned them quickly, and in a swift motion put the truck in gear and immediately turned the wheel to the left to turn the truck around. He didn't answer, and with a roll of her eyes Kat turned to face the window, watching the trees go by once they got into the main road.

"We're going to Joey's club," Joker answered a short minute later, and he grinned when he noticed Kat make a face of disgust right after she had turned to him.

"What _kind_ of club?" She asked slowly, and she held her breath in nervous anticipation, her heart sinking when Joker shot her a wide grin.

"An underground _strip club_, of sorts," Joker answered simply, leaving Kat to sink into her seat with a pout. _Fucking disgusting, _she thought sourly to herself.

The ride to Gotham was silent, leaving Kat to stare at nothing but trees and shadows as they wound their way through them on the curving road. Dark, heavy clouds began to cover the brilliant night sky and quiet thunder rumbled far in the distance. Kat leaned her head against the window of the door, her eyes traveling over the sidewalk as they drove along side it, her eyes skipping over the few people that were walking around. She found it to be amazing that everyone was completely oblivious over the fact that Joker was driving past them, past their businesses, past their houses. Even the three cops they had driven past had no idea. Kat knew at this point that all hope was gone, but she still found it amazing that the one lunatic the city feared the most was _constantly _among them, it seemed, every day and night.

As they drove on, Kat noticed the particular area of the city get more and more low down and old. The buildings, no longer consisting of giant towers, were now only long and a few stories high, with panels missing, windows broken, and their paint chipping. A few people roamed the streets, one by one, and graffiti covered the small town homes. The place gave Kat a ridiculous creeped out feeling, and she found herself thankful that at least she was with someone who had the ability to protect her if anything was to happen. Granted she wasn't sure if Joker actually would ever protect from anything, but the thought at least comforted her.

After turning onto a few more streets, the area getting darker and more discrete by the second, Kat grew confused when Joker turned into a long, eerie alleyway. She watched the brick building go by for a short few seconds before she finally turned to Joker as he rounded the corner, stopping the Tahoe in front of an old, beat up dumpster in a large, sealed off private area. Kat swallowed the lump that had risen in her throat, her nerves increasing by the second, and she was left to wonder if they were _actually _going to a club. But once Joker had opened the door, she calmed slightly, and was quick to follow his actions.

She followed him out of the alley, being cautious to walk close to him as she constantly looked all around her surroundings, taking everything in to make herself more alert. Rounding the corner, they walked a few feet down the side walk next to a long, dark building, and Kat couldn't help but to cross her arms and hunch her shoulders up as a cold breeze blew past.

"Where are we going?" She asked again, her low voice breaking through the thick and cold tension and silence on the streets.

"Joey's club," Joker answered again casually, stopping by the main door of the building. The letters that had once been on the door were scraped off, and he pulled open the door and stepped to the side, waiting for Kat to go inside. She eyed him skeptically for a moment before she slowly stepped into the dark entrance of the building, quickly turning around to face Joker as he made his way inside, gently closing the door behind him.

"This doesn't look like a club," Kat pointed out as Joker walked past her, stepping through an archway. Kat followed him around the corner and found herself in a dimly lit room, filled with old chairs, couches, and a large receptionist desk. Her eyebrows met in the middle as she continued behind Joker as he started down a long hallway.

"It's an underground club," Joker answered simply.

"Why?" Kat asked now, and Joker sighed loudly.

"Because when Joey went to jail his old club was shut down, and he was forbidden to open up a new one."

Kat didn't say anything as she continued with Joker down the hall, and after turning the corner they came to face a large door with a metal, sliding door of sorts built into the thick wood. Kat couldn't help but grow somewhat nervous again, and she watched with confused eyes as Joker pulled out his small key ring, and after selecting a small, silver key, he placed it into the lock and turned it quickly before he pushed open the door to step inside.

"Hey! H-how did you-" The man who had been sitting at the table, playing cards with two others, jumped up nervously upon the door suddenly opening, but he stopped short as he watched Joker make his way inside. Kat paused nervously, completely lost as to what was going on, and with an irritated growl Joker firmly grabbed her wrist and yanked her alongside him to continue out of the small room and around the corner to a flight of stairs.

"Who was that?" Kat asked as she looked behind her once they reached the bottom of the stairs.

"Robert. Joey's stupid doorman."

The sound of music grew louder and louder as they walked through the hallway of the old, rundown basement, and her heart began to race once they stopped in front of a large, metal door. Clearing his throat, Joker pounded heavily on the door and slowly lowered his wrist while he waited, and Kat jumped as the small, square metal door slid open, revealing a guy with very bushy eyebrows.

"What's the pass—" he stopped short once he finally noticed it was Joker who had knocked, and with a nervous swallow he quickly closed the small window and pushed open the door. He cleared this throat as he stepped to the side to allow Joker and Kat to step in. "M-mister Joker. How are you this evening?"

"Fine, Bart," Joker said passively, and Kat nervously stared at 'Bart' as she started past, Joker never letting go of her wrist.

The loud, heavy bass-filled music blared from the various speakers over head, and a look of pure disgust was quick to meet Kat's face as she looked around. A large stage sat in the middle, main floor of the large room with three large poles, and Kat stared at the three girls that occupied them. With a large frown she looked away as Joker continued to tug her along behind him as they walked along the landing, dodging past various men, all dressed the same in classy, expensive suits. Kat picked up on every glare that was shot her way from the various girls walking around as they continued on, and she glared back, knowing she was better than them.

Joker turned to the left suddenly, finally letting go of Kat's wrist as he disappear behind a large, red curtain, leaving Kat to follow. This large room was much darker and quiet, and filled with couches and chairs, and up ahead sat a large bar. The floor was made of a dark red carpet, the walls painted a fading red as well. Kat felt a shiver run up her spine as she glanced over at a man receiving a rather raunchy lap dance right in front of everyone in the room, and she felt dizzy, ready to leave as soon as possible. Why had Joker brought her here in the first place?

Able to recognize his friend's ridiculous appearance anywhere, Joker stepped further into the room and tapped Joey on the shoulder. He turned around, his dark eyebrows furrowed before he finally relaxed his facial features, and Joker grinned down at the girl he had been talking to.

"What do _you_ want?" Joey asked as he started past Joker. His grin never faded as he followed him, and Kat was quick to step behind Joker.

"I need to set up this meeting, _Joseph_," Joker said, stopping short when Joey quickly turned around before he could exit through the red curtain.

"Man are you kidding me?" He stared at him for moment before he rolled his eyes and he slouched down slightly. "Look, I can't just go close up _my_ club so you can have your private club scouts meeting, ya feel me? I'm tryin' to run a business bro!"

"And you're doing a _wonderful_ job," Joker said back sarcastically, and he clicked his tongue on the roof of his mouth. "Look, Joey, the only way I can get these plans out in the open and make _sure_ that everyone understands, I gotta host a meeting!"

"So why you gotta do it here?" Joey asked, glaring at Joker until his eyes suddenly fell down to Kat. He eyed her up and down slowly before he smirked, shaking his head as he looked back to Joker.

"Where else can I do it, Joseph?" Joker asked back as he tilted his head to the side. Joey sighed as he ran his hand through his dark brown hair, and he stared at Kat's black sandals blankly before he raised his eyes back up to Joker's. "Is it _really_ too much to ask for you to close up this place a _few_ hours early?"

"I don't know," Joey answered. "Are you really _asking_ or is this your nice way of _telling_ me?" A grin met his face a second later and he rolled his eyes. "Whatever man," he said. "I don't care. What night?"

"Next Friday," Joker answered as he reached into his purple coat pocket to draw out a folded piece of paper.

"So next week?" Joey confirmed as Joker handed him the paper.

"Let's see, exactly seven days from tonight... seven days is equivalent to _one_ week..." Joker mumbled on, pretending to reason with Joey's question, and Kat couldn't help but smirk as Joey heavily rolled his eyes at him.

"Man, you better watch yourself," Joey threatened as he unfolded the paper and he glanced down at it to start scanning over the column of names. "What's this?"

"The people who are expected to attend the meeting," Joker answered. Joey sighed as he folded the paper again, and he glanced around quickly before he looked back to Joker.

"Let's go to my office," he said simply, immediately disappearing behind the curtain. Confused, Kat followed Joker out of the dark room and followed him next to the railing of the landing towards a door that sat behind the stage. Joey grabbed his own ring of keys and quickly unlocked the door, and he pushed it open and stepped inside, leaving Kat and Joker to follow.

Closing the door gently behind her, Kat was surprised to see just how clean and well organized Joey's office was. A large, wrap around desk stood in front them while a big red couch sat against the wall by the door. A giant liquor cabinet took up the rest of the space to the right of the desk while the rest of the walls were covered in various pictures. Joker sat down in the large black lounge chair in front of Joey's desk while Kat stepped over to the wall on the left to look over the collage of various pictures.

"Alright, so let's see," Joey started as he sat down behind his desk, opening the list again to look over the names "Who the _fuck_ is _Conrad Gibbins_?" Joey glanced up at Joker with furrowed eyebrows, leaving Joker to grin sheepishly at him.

"_Mister_ Gibbins," he started easily. "Is going to be your new mayor."

Kat glanced over her shoulder at Joker, and she glanced at Joey's slightly confused face before she looked back to the pictures, deciding she wanted nothing to do with this. So far, all the pictures she had looked over consisted of another few clubs, while a few random pictures of Joey with various girls existed in the mix. Kat's eyebrows met in the middle as she leaned in closer to the wall, staring at Joey's bald head. She peered around her shoulder at him, watching as he leaned back in his chair now, and she found it hard to believe he had once been bald and sported no tattoos.

"Ah, _right," _Joey said now as he continued to look over the list. "For the big election," he said sarcastically. Once he reached the bottom of the list he folded it and placed it on his desk. "So, what's the meeting for?"

"To give information, dear friend," Joker boasted. "To make sure everyone knows their job and when and how to do it."

"You are ridiculously _insane_," Joey said as he placed his elbows on the desk, and he leaned over as he linked his fingers together. "You know damn well this is outta reach. Even for you, bro."

"It's _not_," Joker said as he leaned forward. "It'll work," he said in a higher tone. "And since you're so skeptical, _Joey_, perhaps your _insightful_ advice could help shed some light on the plan? What help do you have to offer?"

"My only _advice_ to you is that you should go check yourself back in to Arkham, as quickly as possible." Joey sat back now, never breaking eye contact with his friend. "Because this idea is so far fetched, you're just gonna fall and land flat on your _face_," Joey nodded with finality, until a sly grin crept onto his lips. "And I'm gonna be right there, _laughing_."

"How _insightful_ of you," Joker said blandly as he rested his elbow on the arm of the chair, and he rolled his eyes. "If you wanna be a part of the operation the slot is _open_," he sing-songed, leaving Joey to smirk at him.

"Man, I can't help," Joey started. "Do you realize where we are? A stupid, pathetic _underground_ club. I can't be caught up in one of your ridiculous plans, you know what I'm saying?"

Joker smirked at him now, and he glanced over to see what Kat was doing before he looked back to Joey, and he slowly leaned in closer. "You know, Joey, I _hate_ to uh... advocate any violence or _insanity_ to anyone, but they've always worked for _me_, you see." He leaned back now as Joey's face fell into a slight frown. "You've seen and been involved in pretty much _everything_ I've done for this _extraordinary_ city of ours," Joker started. "So what's one more?"

Joey sighed as he rolled his eyes up the ceiling in the thought. Kat turned around, glancing at them before she ventured over to the photos that hung on the same wall as the door. Joey glanced up at her, watching with furrowed eyebrows until he finally let out a large sigh through his nose as he looked back down at Joker. "What do you want me to do?"

"Other than lend me your club for one night," Joker started. "Not much. Just offer me your constant support."

"I don't like the sound of that," Joey said skeptically, but he grinned along with his friend a second later. "What time on Friday?"

"Eight," Joker answered as he finally stood from the chair, Joey following his actions. "Make sure _everyone_ goes home. Even your uh... _doormen_." He turned around and started for the door, glancing over to Kat as he placed his hand on it. "Oh _Kitty-Kat_," he said, grinning at her when she looked over. "We're _leaving_ now."

With an expressionless glance, she stepped over to Joker, keeping her body close to his as she slid out of the room, leaving Joker to raise his eyebrows slightly as she moved past. With a smirk he stepped out of the room himself, turning to Joey as he closed and locked the door behind him.

"Guess I'll see you on Friday then," Joey said as he crossed his arms in front of him, leaning back slightly.

"Guess you will," Joker said, and he reached around Kat to place his gloved hand on her hip, gently pulling her closer. A shock ran up her spine as she quickly looked up to him, and he smirked down at her before he slid his hand from her hip to her back, and he gently pushed, forcing her to turn around. Joey eyed them suspiciously before he turned to head over to the opposite side of the club.

i'd like thank my beta for editing this for me so's i could move on to chapter 10 faster :) gimme your feeeeedbaaaaack and have a pleasant morning/day/evening


	10. Bitch We Got A Problem

Once they had reached Joker's truck, and once he had turned the vehicle on, Kat was happy to realize they had spent no longer than half an hour at Joey's distasteful club. Never in her life had walking into a place made her feel _so_ disgusting, and she hoped and prayed that she was not meant to attend that meeting with Joker. She was thrown off, however, by his plans. It seemed everyone was in on them except for her, but she realized she didn't care, and more than likely she wasn't supposed to be anyway. She would just have to watch it play and hope the end didn't spell out death for her.

Thunder rumbled loudly across the dark, gray storm clouds covering the entire Gotham night sky, and Kat watched the rapid flashes of bright white lightening from of her window. The ride was silent as they made their way out of the rundown area, and once they started to reach the outskirts of the city rain began to fall on them, and the further they got the heavier the rain poured down, flooding the road and making it near impossible to see out of the dashboard, even with the windshield wipers going full bore. But remaining calm and knowing it was no big deal, all Joker had done was simply sit up a little in his seat and place his other hand on the wheel, simple as that. He had even made a point to grin over at Kat when she turned to him with wide eyes once the rain started its heavy pouring point.

Finally, a good five minutes before they reached the house, Kat had allowed herself to breath, figuring Joker knew what he was doing, and she sat back in her seat to stare out of the window. Once they reached the house, however, Kat wasn't exactly excited about running through the pouring rain to get inside. Joker glanced at her as he turned the car off, smirking at her until he finally pushed open his door, never breaking his eye contact with her.

"Shall we?"

Kat ignored him and with a roll of her eyes pushed open her own door, the freezing rain drops practically burning her hands as it fell on them. Sucking in a breath, Kat jumped out of the car and pushed her door shut, feeling the rain already starting to soak through her clothes. With a groan she quickly started towards the door, Joker right behind her, and she was quick to barge inside the house, paying no attention to the mini party of sorts going on in the living room.

Kat stared at herself in the mirror in the entryway as Joker proceeded with closing the door, and she frowned at her running mascara and the way her shirt was sticking to her body while Joker removed his gloves and placed them on the table before he shrugged off his purple trench coat. With a small grumble, after following the water with her eyes as it dripped from Joker's hair onto his suspenders, Kat headed over to the kitchen, glaring at the four thugs as they sat in the living room, drinking and laughing about something unrelated. Just as she snapped on the kitchen light Joker started past her, and her heart skipped a beat when she felt his body slide against hers. She paused, feeling slightly lightheaded, but she didn't look at him. Instead she continued with opening the fridge to grab a bottle of water.

"So, what did you think?" Joker asked a second later, and Kat glanced over at him just as she twisted off the cap, and she closed the fridge with her foot. Joker took in the site of her wet hair and running, messy mascara on her light skin, admiring the way parts lightly ran down her cheeks before he allowed his eyes to roam down her body, slowly. Kat rolled her eyes as she took a step forward, and she crossed her arms in front of her, bottle still in hand.

"Hey," she practically barked. "Eyes are up here."

Joker quickly reverted his eyes back to hers, his eyebrows raised in surprise. But all of the sudden his features relaxed, and a cunning grin came to his lips as he stepped closer to her, deciding not to be angry over her biting tone. "So they are."

Kat tried desperately to put her guard up, but it was too late. Already she felt herself being drawn into him, and she could not take her eyes away from his face, unfortunately loving the way the paint was running from it, splotches of his skin showing underneath. A large area had been washed away from his right eye, and she could just barely see the dirty blonde color of his eyebrow while most of his red smile had been washed off, showing off his rather masculine jawline. She raised her eyes back into his, ignoring how fast her heart was beating, and she realized quickly that she had to fire back.

She grinned as she stepped closer to him and she placed her bottle and cap on the counter directly next to her. Joker's eyes fell to her lips, watching as they parted ever so slightly, and he cocked an eyebrow as he looked back into her eyes, willing himself to stay strong. He was _so_ close to beating her at her own game, all he had to do was push a little harder. He stepped closer as well, allowing their bodies to touch slightly, and his grin widened.

Kat tilted her head back as she continued to stare into his eyes, able to see that he was feeling the same thing she was. The tension was heavy as her heart continued to race, and she watched as Joker idly touched his tongue to the scar on his lip. She swallowed as she looked back up to him, watching as his eyes dropped down to her lips again, and she tried as hard as she could not to eye his.

"_Chug! Chug! Chug! YEEAAH!_"

Joker and Kat's attention was quickly averted from the mood and they both glanced at the arch of the kitchen. Kat sighed loudly as she rolled her eyes, and she grabbed her water while Joker shook his head over his thugs stupidity. Kat glanced back over to him before she grinned slightly, and without a word she excited the kitchen, swaying her hips slightly more than usual as she climbed the stairs. From his tipsy state of mind, Bacardi raised his heavy eyes to the stairs, watching blankly as Kat made her way into the room, until Bozo's slapping him on the back woke him from his trance, and he turned to face his buddies, laughing while a sudden, wonderful dizzy feeling came upon him. Joker started past the living room, raising his eyebrows at the group before he started up the stairs himself, deciding to just let his thugs have their fun. At this point he was pretty tired and his bed sounded rather tempting.

Kat had sat in her room, waiting to hear Joker's bedroom door close, and once it had, she ventured downstairs to wash her face and brush her teeth. Now, clad in nothing but her black and gray plaid pajama pants and a gray tank top, she disappeared silently into the bathroom, and she frowned at once she saw herself in the mirror. Her hair had dried into its natural long and wavy pattern, but her face looked like hell, and she felt it redden as she thought back to her last attempt of the night to get Joker to break. He had probably been laughing at her in his mind over her horrid look. She shook her head as she turned on the faucet, and she ducked down as she splashed water on her face.

Time was running out on her game. She wasn't sure how much longer she could go on like this. It made her furious, but she was just being truthful; she found parts of Joker and hints of his personality to be rather alluring, despite her situation, and she hated it. She made a vow to herself as she rinsed her toothbrush; if Joker didn't break by tomorrow, due to any last, desperate attempt, Kat was going to forfeit her game. What else could she do? Every time Joker fired back Kat felt herself getting closer to just throwing herself at him, the tension building until it reached a boiling point, and at that time Kat always had to back down. All she could do was hope at least the same thing was happening to Joker.

She ignored the loud laughter from Joker's henchmen as she quickly started up the stairs. She glanced at Joker's door, wondering why he hadn't said anything to them, but she shrugged it off and stepped into her room. She made her way through the darkness to the bed and she quickly laid down, staring at the orange light from the living room down below that spilled into her room from under her door. She closed her eyes, just able to hear their muffled and annoying voices from over the rain, but as she cuddled down further into her blanket sleep was quick to overcome her.

–

It seemed as though Kat had been drifting in and out of sleep for hours and hours on end, having odd, vivid dreams about everything from her parents, to Joker, to random things such as not being able to speak. Every time she woke up she could just barely make out the voices of the thugs, but the harsh storm from outside over powered their noises now, and through her sleepy mind Kat decided that it was the stupid thunder that kept waking her up, the rumbles powerful enough to shake the house it seemed.

With a large yawn she turned back onto her side, facing her door, and she felt that sleepy warm feeling creeping back on her easily and quickly. She was unsure how long she had been sleeping since that point, but all too soon she felt herself gently wake up when she heard her door being pushed open slowly. Though her eyes were closed she could tell some light was coming into her room. She heard what sounded like faint walking on her carpet, but with a small, tired whimper she ignored it, figuring it was just her mind playing tricks on her, and she started to turn around.

She stopped on her back, however, and she grew confused when she felt hands place themselves on her hips, holding her in place on her bed. Her eyebrows met in the middle with agitation as she tried to turn again, and her heart skipped a beat when she heard someone snicker. _Joker_?

Finally she opened her eyes, her body instantly reacting once she noticed the figure that was hovering over top of her. Her eyes widened as she tried to make out who it was, and with a burst of thunder a flash of lightening lit up the sky, illuminating the figures face momentarily through Kat's open blinds, and she opened her mouth to let out a shout.

"Shhh!" Bacardi slapped his hand down over Kat's mouth, and he giggled, swaying a bit, as she started to thrash about, her flailing limps causing her blanket to fall from the foot of the small bed. Bacardi laughed quietly again, and Kat could smell the strong stench of liquor on his breath. "Don't act so surprised, Kat-" he slurred, stopping suddenly to take a deep breath in. Kat stopped her attempt to scream as she froze, nervously staring up at him as she breathed deeply through her nose, her heart racing at a million milers per minute, and she could not comprehend anything through her hazy mind as Bacardi slowly took his hand from her mouth. "I've s-seen the... the- _signs_! The signs you've been givin' me..." he trailed off, and Kat felt her jaw drop in confusion as she stared at him through the darkness, the light from downstairs barely illuminating anything. It was silent down there, but Kat was honestly a little too frightened to wonder why or what the _hell_ was going on at this point. Maybe Joker was behind it...

"Yeah, I saw them _all_," he went on. He let out a loud laugh, the alcohol on his breath strong, and Kat turned her head away slightly. Her breath hitched in her throat when she felt him start to slide his hands up her body, his fingers slipping under her shirt. "There's no foolin' me," he went on slowly. He let out a breathless laugh again, and a huge shock ran up Kat's spine as his hands inched closer and closer. She let out a loud shout, and she absentmindedly brought her knee up as hard as she could to kick him in the crotch. He cried out and instantly fell back off her, leaving Kat time to jump out of bed and start out of her room. With wide and confused eyes she quickly backed out, touching her hand to the handle of the landing as she watched Bacardi cry out in agony as he doubled over. She continued to quickly walk backwards, feeling for where the stairs started from the railing, and she let out a scream when she felt her back collide with somebody. Heart racing she turned around quickly, and she flailed around when she felt heavy hands fall onto her upper arms, trying to hold her steady.

"Kat! _Kat! _What's going on!"

Kat stopped suddenly and she felt her stomach drop as she stared up at Joker. Her mind went completely blank as she stared at his paint-less face, her eyes quickly wandering over his scars and down to his shirtless frame before they traveled back up. Her lips parted as she tried to find her words.

"He... Bacardi... I-"

"What_ happened_?" Joker growled as he gripped her arms tighter, growing ridiculously annoyed. He didn't know what to think; he had been sleeping soundly in his room when the distant sound of a scream had woken him instantly, and once he heard a crash and another loud scream he was out of bed and his room in a matter seconds, his mind scrambling when he saw Kat nervously backing out of her room.

Kat opened her mouth to speak again but stopped when she saw Joker look up suddenly, his eyes narrowing on the something. Her body shaking slightly, she started to turn to see what he was looking at, but she gasped lightly when she felt Joker push her behind him. He stared with glazed eyes blankly at Bacardi as he stumbled out of Kat's room, the situation suddenly becoming clear. "Kat, go to my room," he commanded as Bacardi nervously glanced up at him.

Kat made a ridiculously confused face as she looked up to stare at the back of Joker's head, and she wondered if she had heard him correctly. "...what?"

"_Go_!" Joker barked as he looked over his shoulder at her, and with a start she quickly turned around and threw open Joker's door, closing it instantly a second later. Joker turned back to Bacardi, and he tilted his head to the left slightly. Dizzily, Bacardi instantly took a big step back into Kat's room, leaving Joker to quickly follow. Random anger surging through him, he grabbed Bacardi's upper arms and slammed him against the painted sun on Kat's wall.

"What the _hell_ just happened?" Joker asked harshly, his voice low, just above a whisper, and it shook slightly as he tried to keep himself contained. Bacardi searched around for his words as his eyes squinted, and it appeared as though he was about to cry. Joker breathed out deeply from his nose upon the stench of alcohol hitting his senses, and he licked his lips quickly as he pushed his henchman further into the wall. "Look here, _Bacardi_," he growled. "From now on you are completely _sober_. If you so much as _touch_ one drop of any alcohol, I'll _kill you_, understand?"

Bacardi closed his eyes, the room spinning and shaking violently as he tried to process what Joker had just said. He swallowed, opening his mouth to try and explain himself, but already Joker had started out of the room. From over the railing he could see Rocco, Henshaw and Bozo all staring up at Kat's door from their positions in the living room, and their eyes all fell on Joker as he started down the stairs. He wasn't exactly sure why he was reacting so strongly about this, especially since he convinced himself everyday that he didn't care about Kat. Obviously there was a problem here, being that this was his initial reaction and natural course of action upon hearing Kat's high, loud and powerful scream. But for the time being he didn't have time to figure out why. Right now all he wanted to focus on was having a little talk to the rest of his crew about _personal_ property, and perhaps even remind them right from wrong.

Kat held her breath as she leaned against Joker's door, her body frozen as she stared at the dimly lit room in front of her. She felt uneasy, like she wasn't allowed to be in there despite what Joker had told her. Swallowing back the lump in her throat, she finally took a step forward, breathing in the somewhat cold and stale air as she glanced around slowly. A large and tall, black dresser sat against the same wall as the door, while an old, dark wooden desk of sorts sat on the wall adjacent from it, leaving just enough room in the corner between them for a tall and oblong lamp. Behind the lamp, she noticed a series of "ha's" etched on the wall, ceiling to floor, behind the dresser and desk, some appearing painted while others had been carved in. Another opened door existed on the same wall as the desk, leading into the dark bathroom, while his large bed sat directly in front of her, black, scratched up end tables on either side. She glanced at the wall across from the bathroom door, her eyes widening slightly as she stared at the ridiculously large collection of joker's cards, all stuck to the wall somehow, covering nearly all of it.

Her lips parted as she turned back to the bed, the lamp on the end table to her left being the only light that illuminated the room. A large window sat behind the bed, it's width the exact same as the bed, and Joker's black, askew curtains were parted down the middle slightly. She swallowed again as she stood at the foot of it, and she wondered what to do. But the longer she stood there, staring down at the black sheets tangled with the black and gray reversible comforter, she finally realized the stupid thoughts she was having.

_It's a fucking bed_, she thought sourly to herself. It wasn't like she'd burst into flames if she were to sit on it. With with a deep breath she crawled onto it, and she leaned against the pillows and headboard on the side closest to the bathroom, where the blankets hadn't been pushed down and back. She stared in front of her, noticing the various objects on his dresser and desk, and the random clothes and other objects scattered on the dark carpeted floor. A shudder ran through her again, and she could not shake off the eerie feeling she felt upon being in his room. Suddenly all thoughts of her game left her mind, and as she continued to glance around all she could wonder was how many girls he had probably ruptured in this very bed. She wanted to say his room was like any other bedroom, but the stale air, ridiculously aged objects and collage of joker's cards and "ha's" etched and painted into the walls made her feel otherwise.

She felt her stomach drop, however, when she heard heavy footsteps coming up the stairs, and she held her breath, waiting for Joker to angrily storm inside. But instead she watched as his door gently opened, and he stepped inside easily as he closed it behind him. Regardless of her previous thoughts, Kat's eyes roamed slowly over his body, and she felt lightheaded as she took in his appearance. His hair was messy, his face bare, and his black, cotton pajama pants sat loose and low on his hips. Her eyes glided back up his chest to stare at his bare face, and her heart skipped a beat as she was forced to sadly realize just how rather handsome he was, even with those deep and jagged scars...

Joker silently made his way to the bed, not really looking at Kat until he sat down on the left side of the bed, opposite from Kat. With a deep sigh out he rubbed his eyes before he took in a deep breath, and he turned around to bring his legs onto the bed, resting his back comfortably against his pillows and low black headboard. He looked over at Kat, noticing how her face was free of any make-up, and he tried desperately not to take any care in the fact that she was not wearing a bra.

"So what happened?" His voice cut through the silence, though the rain remained loud as it pounded against his window, and Kat finally turned to him after a crash of thunder had caused her to jump slightly. She looked into Joker's eyes, taking in his calm demeanor as more confusion swept over her.

"I-I don't know," she started as she looked away from him to glance down at her lap, her legs folded Indian style in front of her. "I was just sleeping and then I guess he came in. He held me down and told me... that he's '_seen the signs I've been giving_ _him_'." Kat rolled her eyes as she slumped down, but she quickly turned to Joker when he let out a small laugh as as he gently shook his head. He looked back at Kat with a grin.

"Really?" He asked now. "And I thought those signs were directed at _me_."

Kat didn't say anything as she nervously turned away, her lightheaded feeling quickly returning. She glanced over with her eyes into the dark bathroom, listening as Joker moved to a laying position on his bed, and she instantly snapped her head over to him once he turned out the light, the room nearly pitch black.

"Wait, am I sleeping in here?" She asked quickly, a burst of thunder shaking the house as the noise lingered on until it slowly faded away.

"Looks like it," Joker said as he scooted further down into his bed, his eyes already closed as turned onto his side to face Kat. Still feeling unsure, Kat slowly moved the covers from under her and laid down herself, the sheets cool against her skin. She laid her head onto the dark purple pillow as she turned onto her side, facing Joker, and she swallowed that damn lump in her throat again as she closed her eyes. It was incredibly odd, laying with Joker in his bed inside his bedroom, and as Kat took a deep breath in she inhaled Joker's strong scent. Her body trembled slightly upon this, but as she tried desperately to ignore it she had to wonder how on _Earth _she was going to fall asleep under these circumstances.

Joker could feel the slight weight from the other side of the bed, and it was a feeling he hadn't experienced in a _long_ time. As he laid there, trying hard not to open his eyes and look at her through the dark, he thought back to how he had handled this situation. Why had he gotten so angry, and why had he sent Kat into his room? It was an effort to keep away from Bacardi, to keep her safe, and he felt his stomach drop upon thinking that word, his eyebrows furrowing. _No_, he thought. That couldn't have been his intentions. What did he care? For a second he debated kicking Kat out, but a stronger part of him held him back from speaking, from acting out on what he so desperately wanted to do. Defeated, he opened his eyes, and in cue a flash of lightning that shone through the window quickly illuminated her face, giving him just enough time to look over her features that constantly caught his attention.

Kat felt that tension growing thick again as she listened to the pouring rain outside. She felt as though she was being watched, but this idea was silly and she pushed it to the back of her mind. The urge to just look at him creeped back upon her, however, as she tried to clear her mind. She just wanted to decide, once and for all, if she really found him to be as attractive as she thought. Back at the hotel he had seemed so far away as he slept when she had watched him, but she remembered thinking just how _normal_ he looked. She felt as though if she was to steal one, quick glance, she'd finally be able to clear her mind and go to sleep. She slowly opened her eyes just as another burst of lightning lit up the sky, and a mad shock ran deeply up her spine as she found Joker staring back at her.

The rain seemed to grow heavier and louder as they both stared intently into each others eyes as lightning continued to quickly crash outside, leaving Kat's heart to race and Joker's mind to fog up. At precisely the same time both their eyes drifted down to the others lips as more lightening flashed, illuminating the room in a bright blue light, when all of the sudden Kat and Joker reached out with such force the bed shook. Kat touched her hands to his shoulders and Joker grabbed her hips, pulling her closer as their lips came crashing together in unison. Kat dug her nails deeply into the area where his neck met his shoulders while he tightened his grip on her waist, pulling her body as close as possible to his.

Kat closed her eyes tightly, Jokers lips warm against hers as they immediately opened their mouths to allow their tongues to dance. A small groan escaped from Kat as she practically melted into Joker, butterflies whirling to a rapid life in the pit of her stomach as she was quick to realize just long she had been desperately waiting for this to happen. Without breaking the kiss, Joker swiftly and quickly moved Kat to lay on top of him, and she spread her legs to straddle him, her knees on either side of Joker's waist. He slid his hands from her hips onto her ass, and he could not help but let out a low and deep groan of his own as he squeezed it, the area proving to be just as firm as he had thought it to be. Kat broke the kiss to moan out gently as she tilted her head back, and she whimpered when she felt Joker clamp his teeth down on her neck. She bit her lip, the pain both erotic and intense, and another moan escaped her when Joker's tongue came to lightly trace the red bite marks. She quickly caught his lips with hers again, and the room spun widely as Joker grabbed her hips roughly to roll her onto her back.

Thunder roared across the sky as various bolts of lightning lit the room, leaving Kat and Joker time to glare into each others eyes, each eating up the monstrous amount of want in them while the short break allowed for Kat to wonder what was going to happen. Joker showed no signs of the need to suddenly hurt her, and Kat knew that could only leave one thing given their current position. As their lips met again fiercely she wondered vaguely if she actually wanted to go through with this. But as she ran her hands up Joker's chest, his skin smooth and warm against her fingertips and Joker's tongue soft against her own, she realized how fucking _badly_ she was anticipating it.

But she was not alone. Just as much lust and desire coursed through Joker, leaving him angry at himself for even feeling this way. But at the moment he didn't care, he didn't care about anything. He only had his mind set on one thing, and he figured he'd deal with the crazy thoughts and confusing after effects of it later. Nothing mattered right now.

Chills ran throughout Kat as Joker slid his hands under her shirt, and she felt him grin against her lips as he grazed his hands over her soft breasts. She pulled her lips from his and bit down on them as she leaned up, Joker immediately understand her silent cue to remove her shirt. The second Kat's back hit the bed Joker ran his fingers down the side of her body, the tips of them rough against Kat's skin, and her heart skipped several beats once Joker reached the top of her pajama pants. Time seemed to slow suddenly, and it felt as though their rapid and quick pace had stopped. She dug her fingernails into Joker's shoulders, and she grinned when he grunted at this before his lips crashed against hers again. He sneaked his fingers into the lining of her pants before he pulled them down, surprised to find Kat was not wearing any underwear. He laughed against her lips as they both opened their eyes.

"Easy girl," he commented in a low and rough voice, and he left Kat no time to protest that no, she was _not_ easy, as he immediately leaned down to kiss her again.

While slight anger flowed throughout Kat over his comment as she kicked off her pants from under the blanket, it was taken over quickly by the memory of the tone of voice he had used. Her eyes slid closed as she ran her own slightly shaking hands down Joker's sides, over the faint outline of his muscles as she prepared to push off his own pants, but she paused when she felt the lack of fabric on his hips. Her eyes popped open and she stared up at Joker just in time for his face to be illuminated by the brightest flash of lightning yet. He was grinning maliciously at her, and as Kat caught site of his evil grin a large and somewhat painful shock ran up her spine and stung her neck, causing the room to spin violently. Her mind offered her one last and final chance to be smart and back down from this, to say no and just go back to her room, but they had come so far, and Kat's body was shaking with mad anticipation. Answering herself, she reached out and wrapped her fingers tightly around Joker, and an obnoxious grin parted her lips as she tried to comprehend how positively huge he appeared to be. She squeezed her hand, her fingers barely touching each other, the action causing Joker to let out a content sigh before an eerie laugh.

"What do you want, _Kitty-Kat_?" He questioned, his lips just inches from hers now. She swallowed as she stared at him through the dark, his grave voice sending cold shivers throughout her. She remained silent however, honestly unsure with how to answer that question. A small groan of sorts erupted from her when she felt Joker trace her bottom lip with his tongue, and her breath hitched in her throat. "You want me to _fuck_ you?" He whispered.

"Yes," came Kat's low voice a short second after, her eyes sliding shut as her grip loosened on him ever so slightly.

"Yes _what_?" Joker grumbled, a crash of thunder following his request for a more polite answer.

"Yes ple-" her answer was never finished, and she gasped as Joker suddenly grabbed her wrists with a growl and he pinned them down on either side of her head, real time coming back instantly now. A loud moan flew out of Kat's mouth, practically echoing throughout the room as Joker pounded himself into her, pushing himself in to the hilt. His jaw dropped slightly, and he groaned as Kat's wet and tight walls clamped tightly around him. Her breath hitched in her throat, and it took everything she had in her not to finish at that very second. The tension and the build up to their current position had been insanely intense, more so than Kat had ever experienced with anyone else. But she was left no time to think, and she cried out in both pleasure and slight pain as Joker started to thrust himself into her. He tightened his grip on her wrists as he stared down into her eyes through the dark, his hips moving in a harsh rhythm against her as he wished he could see Kat staring back up at him. Kat slid her nails down his chest before her hands traveled back up to his hair, and she gripped it tightly, pulling Joker down for another kiss.

She groaned out against his lips before she tilted her head back to moan out his name, her entire body tingling as Joker continued with his fast rhythm. He finally let go of Kat's sore wrists to slide his calloused fingertips down her body, and Kat gasped when Joker grabbed her hips, and in one smooth motion he flipped their position over, their bodies never losing contact. Kat's jaw had dropped in surprise, her eyes wide with wonder, but she recovered quickly and she placed her hands on his shoulders, digging her nails again into his skin as she straddled him. Joker gritted his teeth as his hands found her hips again, and he sighed deeply through his nose as Kat started to move her hips around in small, tight circles. The feeling was electrifying, and he slid his eyes closed as he tightened his grip on her, moving his hands along with her hips, keeping her circles perfect and tight.

Loud moans escaped from Kat as she continued to move her hips, until she let out sudden whimper, her body seconds from finishing. But she found herself desperate, and she was going to do all she could to make it as intense as possible so she could hopefully completely wash away the built up feelings She took her hands from Joker's shoulders and hoisted herself on her knees before she slowly lowered herself back down, and she grinned as Joker let out a deep, demonic growl. Joker's grip tightened as she gained speed, the squeaks from the bed just barely louder than the rain outside. Kat closed her eyes tightly as she panted, that familiar feeling quickly inching its way closer to her until finally the orgasm tore through her, stealing all her strength as the most wonderful feeling in the world pulsated throughout her. With a large sigh Joker yanked her down onto him, keeping her in place, and he tilted his head back with another growl as he released himself into her. Kat bit her lip, the feeling of Joker's throbbing dick still inside her doing wonders to wrap up the sensation, but with a large sigh she finally lifted herself off of him and she plopped down back in her spot next to him.

Joker scooted back to his side of the bed while Kat turned to face him, and he found her to be grinning at him when lightening illuminated his room, thunder bursting through the night shortly after. Kat's body still shaking with lust, she reached out towards Joker as he placed his hands on either side of her head, their lips meeting forcibly somewhere in the middle. The kiss was short and rough, and all too soon Joker pulled away with a sly grin of his own.

"I hope you know," he started, his voice low and rough as he grabbed the comforter to cover back up with it while he allowed Kat to situate herself underneath it as well. "That you lost your game."

"No," Kat argued back, and she turned around, resting her head on her own pillow now. "You did."

The standings were left a mystery, and Kat grinned to herself as she scooted back towards Joker, fitting her body perfectly next to his. He breathed out in what sounded like slight annoyance, his breath warm as it traveled past the profile of Kat's face, but Joker did nothing to distance himself from her, and instead he allowed his eyes to close as he took in the wonderful sound of the rain pounding on the window.

–

Waking up peacefully the next morning, memories of the night instantly came rushing back to Kat, and she felt her face redden slightly as she finally opened her eyes, knowing today was going to be a _long_ day. The bright sunlight shone through the part in Joker's curtains, lighting up his bedroom in such a way that made Kat realize quickly why he most likely kept it so dark. Staring at the wall in front of her, Kat noticed how beat up and scratched the now closed, dark wood bathroom door was. Curiously she sat up, yawning first before she looked forward to face the rest of his room, noticing in the corner of her eye that she was alone.

With the light she now could see the intensity of the "ha" wall. All she had seen the night before were the larger, much darker and deeper etchings, but now Kat could make out various little ones all over the wall around the larger letters. Her eyebrows met in the middle in slight confusion as she wondered vaguely why he had done that or how long it had taken him.

Voices from downstairs jerked Kat out of her further exploration with her eyes of Joker's room, and in a slight panic she glanced around for her clothes. She found her tank top on the floor next to her while her pants lay partially under the bed at the foot of it, and after quickly pulling them up she situated her hair over her shoulders before she glanced back over to his bathroom door, curiosity getting the better of her. She pushed open the door slowly, and she reached for the wall next to her, feeling for a light switch. Once the room was illuminated, her lips parted slightly as she took in how rather clean the room was. The shower/tub seemed massive while a large mirror sat behind the black and white counter in front of her, a large white sink in the middle. She finally turned off the light and backed out of the room, now suddenly dreading using the bathroom downstairs more than ever now that she had sneaked a peek into Joker's.

Now she took a step closer to the door, her heart pounding harshly against her chest as she fretted what her next encounter with Joker was going to be like. Her mind pictured the worst, naturally, but the fact that she was still alive and well this morning, and _still_ in Joker room, alone, had to mean something, right? She closed her eyes and took a deep, steadying breath before she finally twisted the handle of the door to open it.

Stepping onto the landing, the first thing she noticed was Bozo and Bacardi in the living room, their heads turn in her direction. She paused, staring back at Bacardi, until he suddenly turned away to face the TV, his face expressionless. Bozo remained staring at her, his face blank, and with a nervous swallow Kat proceeded down the stairs, able to see Joker's legs as he sat at the table, the rest of his body hidden by the wall. She slowly stepped into the kitchen, taking in how relaxed Joker appeared to be. His knee bounced up and down while he looked over the newspaper, and her heart gave a violent pang once he glanced up at her from over the paper.

They both stared at each other, unsure as to what the other was feeling. It seemed as though they had become completely different people the night before, and now, as the silent seconds ticked on, they were back to themselves. Kat had no idea how wrong she was, however.

Joker's eyes wandered down her body quickly before they found her eyes again, and he stared deeply in them, searching for any sign of fear or regret. If anything she looked slightly angry, which was to be expected, he knew, and he smirked as he looked back down to the paper. Last night had left Joker with much to think about, and his mind had not stopped racing since waking up that morning. He had gotten up early, showered, put on his face-paint and gotten dressed somehow without even waking Kat. She had been cuddled down peacefully in his bed, hugging the blankets next to her with her head nuzzled comfortably into his purple pillow, which brought up the first question he had to ask himself: had letting her actually _sleep_ in his bed after what they had done been more of a bad thing than he had anticipated?

Joker wanted to say he never would have seen last night coming in a million years, when the truth was he had been expecting it ever since he picked up on Kat's game. It was obvious that Kat had wanted it, what she was trying to do, but what he didn't expect that he'd want it just as bad. Last night did not mean anything whatsoever to him, and he was positive it didn't to Kat either, but the act itself had been ridiculously intense, almost more so than he had ever experienced, and he could not figure out why. He felt no different towards Kat, she was still some hostile chick he had kidnapped to toy around with, regardless of how well their bodies had fit together. He had wanted to do things different with this one, and so far his unspecified plan was working out for him.

Now, he felt Kat still looking at him, but he ignored it and pretended be reading. A strong, wonderful energy was pulsating throughout him, an energy he hadn't felt in a while. As odd as it was to admit, last night had been rather great, and he took a minute to try and recall the last time he could remember a girl actually participating back with him. Perhaps that's where this energy was coming from. He never would have guessed Kat to be so eager and straight forward, especially given her shitty attitude on her situation, but it only worked out in Joker's favor. Next time, however, there were just a few things he'd like to change.

_Next time_. Joker repeated the words in head, left to wonder why he had thought them so easily. Would there even be a next time? While he was able to think rationally he knew there wouldn't be, there _couldn't_ be. But the night before, with the mood and tension just right, he was completely unable to control himself. With a slight growl he quickly and noisily turned the page, deciding he was through thinking it. He didn't care...

It seemed as though something had been quick to make Joker angry, and Kat quickly stopped herself from speaking. She shifted her weight in a somewhat nervous manner before she crossed her arms, her eyebrows furrowed slightly as she stared at his knee that had seized its bouncing. From the corner of her eye she noticed Joker look back up at her before he cleared his throat.

"Is there something you wanted?" He asked as he cocked an eyebrow, his voice deep and loud, and Kat quickly looked up to him, her mouth opening slightly.

"Can I..." she started, only to stop and take a deep breath before she suddenly straightened up. "Can I use your shower?" It was the only thing she could think of to say at this point, and after glancing into his bathroom that morning she realized quickly how much better it seemed that the bathroom downstairs. Joker smirked at her before he folded the paper to place it down, revealing the half emptied glass of orange juice it had been hiding.

"Why?" He asked now before he took a sip, and he remained staring up at Kat.

Kat shrugged. "The one down here is disgusting," she said, and she looked away slightly, already able to guess his answer.

"Fine," Joker said simply as he finished the rest of his orange juice. With confused eyes Kat glanced back up to him, surprised, but she was quick to turn to go get her shampoo from the bathroom and start back upstairs without a word before Joker could change his answer, and he was left to wonder why he had even said yes in the first place.

Kat couldn't help but smile as she reached out a blue towel from one of the large cabinets under the sink. Finally, with the door locked, the giant, _clean_ shower emitting an enticing mist as the water ran hot, and a big, thick towel in her hands, Kat felt as though she could enjoy her shower for once. She placed the towel on the sink before she took her shirt off, tossing it to the ground, but she paused, however, when she caught sight of her wrists. She held them up closer to herself and she frowned as she stared at the deep blue and yellow bruises spread all around them. She rotated them around, finally taking note of the pain, and after removing her pants she sighed loudly when she noticed the faint bruises on her hips. She shook her head as she stepped into the shower now, the water burning her slightly until she allowed herself to relax.

She had no idea that Joker had squeezed hard enough on her to emit bruises, but last night she had been so wrapped up in the moment she failed to notice anything, really. She wanted to feel disappointed in herself, and part of her did, but it seemed as though an animal had been woken up inside her, leaving her hungry for another taste, despite her best efforts to rid the feeling.

That alone was sickening, however. Why was she harboring these feelings of wanting to do that _again_ with the sick and twisted man that had kidnapped her from her life? What sense, on any planet or in any universe, did that make? She was left unsure, however, if her game had backfired or not. Who had lost? Who had won? Who had given in to the other first?

It certainly wasn't her, it couldn't have been. She had been playing her game longer than Joker had, leaving her the stronger contender in her mind. As she was forced to think back, butterflies started up again in her stomach as she recalled herself hungrily reaching out for him, something snapping in her to cause her to lose control. But as she continued to think back over it, the more she realized how badly she wanted it _again_.

With a small growl of her own she turned off the water a good fifteen minutes later, and she wrapped herself up in the thick, blue towel. She didn't want to have this desire burning through her. She was smarter than this, she was the queen of self control, but the butterflies, shocks and shudders made it hard to think straight. She leaned against the bathroom counter while visions of Joker hoisting her onto it and pushing her against the mirror as he roughly kissed her came to her mind. She closed her tightly in hopes to make it go away, but in the darkness she could only picture it more clearly. She licked her lips as she leaned off the counter to turn around, and she wiped away the fog on the mirror to stare into her reflection. Perhaps she could figure out a way to make this work. She knew if she didn't satisfy this one more time, once being enough for these feelings to go away hopefully, she wouldn't be able to concentrate on anything, and the hunger would eat her alive. She pursed her lips to the side in thought as she stared into her own eyes. Perhaps she could trick him into making the first move. That way _he_ would be the one who initiated it, leaving Kat to remain the victim _and_ the winner of her game ultimately. Her idea was good, given if Joker actually was sitting downstairs, feeling the same way.

Kat placed her hair over one shoulder as she let the towel loosely hang behind her again, the fabric dipping low to expose her entire back while it rested just above her ass. She knew for the time being she'd just have to pretend nobody else was around, and as she stepped towards the bathroom door she hoped he was still alone in the kitchen.

She paused with a start once she opened the door, and she stared into the darkness of Joker's room. Apparently he had come up and closed his curtains, and even fixed the sheets on his bed. But the room was empty, and Kat ventured across it to his closed door. She slowly opened it, and her heart skipped a beat when she noticed Joker still sitting in the kitchen. He was reading the paper again, but this time he held a knife in his hand, and he loosely pivoted the sharp blade back and forth into the wood of the table idly as he read. Kat swallowed, unsure about her plan now that she noticed he had a knife, but there was something about his appearance of wearing black, leather gloves with his black shirt sleeves pushed up that forced her to start down the stairs. She ignored Bozo and Bacardi, who were still in the living room, and she took a deep breath, transforming her look of nervousness into a look of flat blankness, and she stepped into the kitchen.

Joker looked up from the paper, his pivoting stopping as he stared at her, his eyes instantly wandering over her slightly exposed body behind his towel. He raised an eyebrow, and a quick feeling of dizziness ran through him when Kat glanced over at him, her eyes staring deeply into his before she turned to the fridge to grab a small bottle of water. Joker took the minute to admire the curve of her ass, even behind the thick towel, when his eyes traveled back up to her face once she leaned away from the fridge. She eyed him up and down quickly, hungrily, before a smirk appeared on her face, and without a word she turned to leave the kitchen, swaying her hips as she climbed the stairs.

Joker licked his lips as he processed what he had just seen, thinking it over in his mind. Was that a hint of sorts directed to him to follow her, or was she simply bringing back her game to tease and taunt him, to point out what was never going to happen again? Either way, that lusty look could not go unpunished, so after slamming his knife down into the wood of the table Joker stood from the table and headed up the stairs.

Kat's heart pounded violently as she listened to Joker's heavy and quick footsteps on the stairs, and just as she had reached the bathroom she heard him push open his door, close it behind him, and start towards her. Worry sprang through her, but once he appeared in the doorway behind her she took a deep breath and bravely turned around. Joker glared at her with narrowed eyes, and he took a step into the bathroom, enjoying the slight look of fear that fell onto Kat's face as he cracked his knuckles.

"I uh, couldn't help but notice that _look_ you gave me in the kitchen," he started, and he stopped a foot away from her as she leaned against the counter, placing one palm on it while her other hand held her towel in front of her.

"What look?" She asked back, her words sending a dizzy spell over her of both want and fear. Joker stared at her blankly for a minute until a grin met his lips, and he took a step closer to her, finally understanding what was going on. He let out a breathless laugh, and Kat's body tensed slightly as he rested his gloved hands on counter on either side of her, and it took everything in her to hold herself back.

Joker glanced down to her hand, noticing how loosely she was holding the towel against her, and he refrained from tearing the towel from her body. His eyes roamed back up to her face as his grin widened. "What do you want?" He growled slowly, his voice low and deep, the tone sending a wave of goosebumps over Kat's body.

Her eyes dropped down to his painted lips, and she stared at them, idly licking her bottom lip before she looked back into Joker's dark eyes, just able to see that dark blue, rich color in them. "Isn't it obvious?" She answered with a question, wishing widely that Joker would do something already. She didn't expect that sexual tension to be so thick again, and she felt herself getting closer and closer to losing her second round. Joker's eyes fell to her lips, and he watched as she gently bit down on her bottom one, not aware that her eyes had fallen to his lips as well.

In an flash they both leaned forward, instantaneously locking their lips together. Joker's hands found her hips and he squeezed them, quick to realize that he did not like the heavy fabric covering Kat's delicate body. As if her vision had given her insight into the future, Joker lifted Kat easily onto the counter, and he grabbed her wrist, the leather cool against her warm skin as he brought her hand down to let the towel fall. She spread her legs, allowing Joker to lean in between them as his tongue sneaked out to trace the curve of her upper lip. Kat sighed as she opened her mouth, hungrily bringing back the kiss, and she ran her hands slowly up his exposed forearms before she clutched the fabric of his shirt on his upper arms, pulling it, desperate to bring him closer to her.

The hot steam in the bathroom was not helping matters much, given the certain situation had already caused them both to feel ridiculously heated, so as Joker grabbed her hips again Kat instinctively wrapped her legs around Joker's body as he lifted her from the counter to carry her into his room, the towel handing loosely from behind Kat.

He dropped her onto the foot of his bed, laying her lengthwise on it as he hovered over her, and a small growl escaped him as he pulled the towel from under her to angrily throw it at the wall in front of them. His lips instantly met hers again, and they moved quickly against each other as Kat wrapped her arms around his neck, bringing him closer. His hands traveled down her body, the material of his gloves cool and smooth, and he lightly ran his fingertips down Kat's thighs. She groaned slightly against him as she ran her hands over his chest, her fingers immediately struggling to undo the buttons on his shirt. Joker was just about to help her when a sudden knock on the door tore them from the mood, and they both glanced over at it before their gaze met each others again, Kat's eyes wide with worry while a look of realization overcame Joker.

"_What_?" Joker shouted quickly and loudly, causing Kat to flinch slightly from under him as he turned his head to glance back at his door.

"Th-there's a phone call for you, boss," came Bozo's slightly nervous voice on the other side of the door, and he stammered his weight side to side in nervousness of disturbing the Joker in his own room. "I-it's Philip. Something's going on with Mr. Gibbins...?" Bozo rambled on when Joker was silent. With a large sigh Joker pushed himself up off the bed and headed over to his door, leaving Kat to quickly sit up on the bed so she could cross her legs and fold her arm across her breasts in a panic. Joker, however, had only opened the door a crack, and he frowned deeply as he stared at Bozo.

"What's going on?" He mumbled.

"Apparently Conrad's having- well... second thoughts," Bozo started nervously, in fear that Joker would take out his annoyance and anger on him, but instead Joker sighed.

"Second thoughts?" He repeated, leaving Bozo to nod, and he focused wholeheartedly on keeping his eyes glued to Joker's, and not letting them wander behind him to the inner depths of his hellish bedroom where he knew Kat to currently reside. Joker closed his eyes tightly and placed his thumb and index finger in the corner of them and squeezed on the bridge of his nose as if he had a headache before he looked back to Bozo. "Guess that's a problem then," he added calmly, leaving Bozo to nod again quickly. From behind him Kat remained on the bed, covering up and breathing deeply as she strained to hear what they were saying, but in an instant she watched as Joker quickly slipped past his door, noisily shutting it behind him.

Now Kat closed her eyes as she took in a deep breath before she turned around to speedily grab her discarded towel. With realization flowing through her she was forced to think over what she had done, the tactic she had used to get Joker to follow her upstairs. She groaned slightly as she wrapped the towel around herself, her heart racing, though this time with anxious and angry energy over her stupidity. It seemed now she had to go back to her first rule of completely avoiding Joker again to avoid that strong sexual tension that _constantly_ over came them when alone. This constant battle would kill her in the end, mentally and she was quite certain physically as well.

But she knew this would be difficult, however, for when she opened the door she found herself staring at Joker's broad back, wide shoulders and his exposed arms and black gloves as he headed towards the front door to step outside with Bozo. The memory of how those gloves felt on her warm skin entered her mind and she absentmindedly bit her lip, that familiar rush flowing through her again, but once he had closed the door, distancing himself from her, she stepped out of his room, furiously slamming his door shut behind her and she stormed into her bedroom.


	11. Self Control Breaks Down

A calming vibe remained around Joker as he drove through the busy city, past the bundled up, shivering citizens as they drove to Conrad's house, Bozo driving in his own car behind him. His news to Joker was not alarming, he knew it was a matter of time before the weak-minded old man would finally start to feel overwhelmed and scared over what he had agreed to do for Joker, and now all he needed was a little reminder of his..._ benefits. _This would prove to be an incredibly easy task, even if his usual focused mind was a million miles away on the one thing that it shouldn't be focusing on in the first place.

He spent the majority of the ride trying to figure out why Kat was constantly haunting his mind, and why it was so easy for him to constantly give in to her. All it took was one look at her for his mind to stop working almost completely, where he would then proceed to grab her, letting the action lead to the next event, what ever it may be. What was worse was that he liked it, he liked the feeling of her smooth, plump lips on his, and how her soft and delicate, light skin felt under his rough hands. Her voice was low and slightly deeper than most women, leaving her to be, quite possibly, the only female voice he could actually stand to hear complain. Her constant terrible mood was amusing and her opinions were strong, and she never held back the truth, at least to the other residents of the house. Joker was proud of his choice to have chosen her as his toy, but he wasn't exactly proud of his decision to do things differently with her. Kat was too strong and smart for his antics, and because of this she was able to to fire back with just as much intensity. But what Joker never would have expected was to actually _enjoy_ it.

Now, Joker turned onto the freshly paved road of a nicer neighborhood, winding his vehicle through the various streets until he found the familiar brick house with peach colored trim. He pulled into the large, empty driveway while Bozo parked in the street, and Joker watched as he ran up the driveway to tap in the the code for the garage, and he leaned against the wall as Joker parked his truck in the garage next to Conrad's silver Cadillac CTS Coupe. Bozo joined him the garage as Joker stepped out of the truck, and he closed the garage door as they made their way into the house.

A tall man, an inch or so shorter than Joker, with slicked back, blonde hair greeted Joker and Bozo at the garage door as they stepped into the large laundry room, located just off of the kitchen, and he closed the heavy wooden door behind them. A nervous energy fell over him, it always did when ever he was in Joker's presence, but he smiled warmly past it at Joker as he turned around, disregarding Bozo.

"Good morning Mister Joker," he said. "May I take your coat?"

"That won't be necessary, Phil," Joker said back with a sigh, willing himself to deal with Phil's overly polite tone. "I'm just here to have a little _chit-chat_ with Conrad. What's been going on?"

"Well, he's locked himself in his bedroom, and he's been in there for days and isn't eating. But before that I over-heard him on the phone saying how he didn't want to go through with your, um... _plans_, and the man he was talking to said he'd try and help him out of it..."

Joker nodded slowly as he stared at the washing machine, and once Phil had finished his explanation he lifted his eyes to look at him. "What was his name?" He asked.

"Clint Thomas," Phil answered. "He lives about ten minutes away from here on Montgomery Street," he added, figuring Joker would appreciate that information. He watched as Joker nodded again before he turned to his gruff friend with raised eyebrows.

"I guess we better go see ol' Conrad then," Joker growled, leaving Bozo and Phil to follow as he started out of the laundry room, past the massive kitchen and around the corner to the stairs. The men climbed them and came to stop at two, light wood double doors. Joker lifted his fist to knock on the door, and he leaned closer to the wood. "Oh, _Conrad_," he started. "It's _me_. You've got _two_ seconds to come and open this door." He waited, grinning to himself when he heard Condrad slowly unlock his door, and he opened it partially, just enough to see Joker through the small exposed space.

"What do you want?" He asked in a stressful voice,his tone clearly implying he was in no mood to speak to Joker, and that he was rather unhappy that he was there. He gasped a second later, however, when Joker pressed his black shoe to the door and he forced it open, taking a step inside after. He turned back slightly and snapped his fingers at Bozo before pointing to the door, indicating he should shut and lock it, and once his task was done he stood next to Phil.

Conrad's room was massive, containing three, large windows on the wall adjacent of the door that over-looked the city while a king-sized bed, large couch, flat screen TV and marble fire-place took up the rest of the space. Conrad had retreated over to the fire, where he stood in the warmth it emitted with his back to Joker, leaving the clown to walk over to him.

"So, Conrad," Joker started casually as he stood next to him, facing the old man. The large frown he wore on his face intensified the wrinkles he carried there, as well as the ones on his forehead. His snow white hair was smoothed back and the lose, black suit he wore was wrinkled. "I hear you're uh... having _second thoughts_ on our little _operation_?" He paused as he tilted his head slightly, waiting for Conrad to answer him, but instead he remained staring intently into the fire, his long hands placed in his pants pockets, his back slightly hunched. "_Hmm_?" Joker pressed on, and finally Conrad glanced over to him.

"Yes," he said, his voice low and quiet, barely audible over the crackling of the fire. He stared into Joker's eyes, his frown deepening as he gazed at his demonic, sloppy face-paint before he turned away from him.

"Why is that, Conrad?" Joker asked as he took a step closer. "Should I remind you of your _benefits_?" He watched as Conrad's lips tightened before he looked back to his eyes. "Let's see... you get a nice, giant house. You can have anything you want. You get to _keep your life_," Joker growled in his ear, and Conrad took in a giant breath while Joker slowly backed away from him. Now the old man turned to the clown, his fists clenched in his pockets.

"I was _forced_ to agree to do this," he said. "You didn't leave me a choice. I do not want to assist you with ruining this fine, beautiful city that my family witnessed being built from the ground up."

"There! You see?" Joker asked now with a wide smile. "You are the _perfect _candidate for mayor! The masses will just _love_ that story about your great grandfather," Joker added in a growl, his smile fading.

"You are not _hearing_ me," Conrad said as he started to feel dizzy. He knew it would prove to be a smart move to back down from arguing with Joker, but he was scared and he did not want to be under Joker's control. He had stayed quiet about it too long, and he knew it would be far too late if he didn't speak up now. "I'm _not_ doing this so you can find somebody else. I'm perfectly happy with my life and how I have it. You understand?"

Joker had begun to hum to himself as Conrad spoke to him, and he had slowly ventured towards the corner of the fireplace's platform, a bounce in each step. He hmm-ed to himself as he drew out a large, black fire poker from it's worn container, and he rotated his wrist around as he looked at it before turning back to Conrad.

"Oh, I _understand_ you, Conrad-" Joker said while Conrad stared at the object in Joker's hand, his fuzzy white eyebrows starting to meet in the middle. Out of nowhere Joker suddenly smashed the poker to Conrad's knee, the loud whacking noise causing Bozo and Phil to jump, and they both took a small step back while Conrad yelled out in pain. His hands flew to his knee as he fell to the floor, his eyes shut tightly as he held his aching knee as it throbbed and stung, the pain nearly unbearable. Joker slammed the poker to the ground and let his hand squeakily slide down the iron, and he knelt in front of Conrad, using his free hand to grab the old man's withered jaw and force it up. "-But there's something _you're _not understanding here. See,_ I _make the rules. _I_ get to decide who participates and who doesn't. Now, I've offered you a _wealth_ of luxury, you'll be the _fucking_ mayor of Gotham, _Mister Gibbins_. As long as you listen to _me_, you can have whatever you want, starting with your life. Do _you_ understand, Conrad?" Joker asked if he was speaking to a child, lowering his head to gaze at Conrad from under the ridge of his eyebrows.

Eyes wide with nothing but fear, Conrad stared into Joker's dark and glazed eyes, seeing nothing but hate and evil in them. The pain in his knee was growing rapidly at each passing second, and he swallowed the large lump in his throat down before he gently nodded at Joker, only to flinch and squeeze his eyes tight when Joker tightened his grip.

"_What_?" Joker growled loudly, his fingertips digging into the lose flesh of Conrad's face.

"Yes! I understand!" Conrad said, his voice shaking. He let out a large breath once Joker finally let go of his face to tower above him, and he closed his eyes again as he sat on the floor, forced to deal with the pain in his shattered, fragile knee. Joker dropped the poker next to him before he turned towards the door, Bozo quickly going to unlock and open it while Phil nervously stared at Joker, and his body tensed when Joker stopped in front of him.

"There's a meeting at Joey's club Friday night. Have him there no later than eight. Got it?"

"Yes, sir," Phil said as he nodded his head vigorously, and expecting Joker was finished he stepped past him, only to come to a sudden halt and quickly turn around when Joker continued to speak.

"I want him kept under _constant_ surveillance, just to be sure he doesn't try anything _stupid_," Joker went on. "I'm sending over Jimmy and Steve to stay here until our operation is under go. _Kapish_?" Phil nodded again quickly, this time waiting until Joker turned to leave the bedroom, and he rushed over to Conrad's side to help him up so he could further assist him with his knee.

"What now, boss?" Bozo asked now as he stopped by the garage door, his finger on the button, ready to press it once Joker got into the truck.

"I want you to go home," Joker said. "I have some other things I need to take care of," he mumbled, and without another word he stepped into his truck, leaving Bozo to press the button to open the garage door.

–

Sometime after her shower and storming into her room, Kat had fallen asleep in her bed, wearing only her towel. When she had finally woken up about two hours after, she was quick to realize her mistake and she had sat up quickly, wrapping the towel around her again, praying to God that nobody had walked in. During her late morning nap her drying hair had become a very disorganized mess of curls and waves, and after getting dressed she put her hair into a high pony tail of sorts, doubling her hair in the loops to cause it to hang shorter, the tips of it lightly brushing the back of her neck.

Stepping onto the landing she found the house to be rather quiet, and with a roll of her eyes upon noticing Rocco and Henshaw in the kitchen, she started down the stairs, letting her hand loosely glide down the railing behind her. From behind the paper Rocco glared up at Kat, and as she stepped into the kitchen she expected him to scowl at her and express his distasteful thoughts over her intruding in his space, but instead he smirked at her, leaving Kat to raise an eyebrow and ignore them as she turned around to open the fridge. Rocco snickered over at his brother, and they both looked at her as she bent down to retrieve an apple from the drawer on the bottom of the fridge.

"So, Kat," Rocco started easily, and he leaned back in his chair as he gently set the news paper down. "Last night, was is rape or pleasure?"

The two brothers laughed loudly, leaving Kat to roll her eyes up to the ceiling as she slumped her shoulders, apple in her hand, and she wondered how it was possible she had been loud enough to be heard from two levels down. Masking her anger and slight embarrassment behind a placid face, she turned around and shot a glare at Rocco, and with a wide smile he raised his chubby hands up as if surrendering while Henshaw tried to calm his laughter.

"Hey, it's an honest question. I'm curious," he went on. Kat continued to glare at him until she finally stepped out of the kitchen to head over to the living room, and she took a bite from her apple as she plopped down at the end of the couch, immediately picking up the remote to turn the TV on. Just as she had selected an old detective movie the front door opened, causing her to turn her head over to the distraction, and she shook her head in annoyance as Bozo stepped into house. He threw his keys onto the table as he shut the door with his foot, and he worked on shrugging off his thin jacket as he started past the couch.

"Oh hey there, screamer," Bozo said casually once he was directly behind Kat ."I figured you'd still be sleeping after last night."

Laughter erupted from the kitchen and Kat turned to glare at Bozo's grinning face before he disappeared into the kitchen. In a flash Kat stood from the couch and stormed up the stairs, and she slammed her door behind her, anger surging through her as she slammed the apple onto her end table. She wished she could just escape everything. Her life was a crazy, twisted mess and Joker's thugs were always there to make it worse. She wished widely she could take back what she had done with Joker, and what she had started that morning, and she told herself she had to stop giving in. She paced around her room, her body shaking slightly as she tried desperately to contain herself.

She flopped back down onto her bed and shoved her face into the pillow, and she let out a loud scream into the fabric as she clutched it on either end. Her throat sore, she kept her face in the pillow as she struggled to breath, wondering vaguely how beneficial it would be to suffocate herself. Finally, after a moment of continuing with her absurd thoughts, she leaned up, throwing the pillow at the door before before she let her back hit the wall, a small shock of pain traveling up her spine. She brought her knees up and rested her elbows on the them, and she looked up at her wrists, studying the deep bruises on them. With a firm face she squeezed on one of them, jumping slightly at the pain but she let herself relax, deciding the pain from her wrist was helping to ease her anger. She squeezed a little more as she tilted her head back and she closed her eyes, allowing her mind to focus on the pain rather than the anger. She took a second to mentally thank Joker for her silly therapeutic remedy, knowing it would be the only helpful thing he'd ever do for her.

After spending a few more long hours in her room, and after she could no longer stand the pain of squeezing her wrists or sitting on her bed, staring at the wall, Kat decided to venture downstairs. With a deep breath she reminded herself to just ignore anything the thugs threw her way. She finally understood now it was their goal to get under her skin as best they could, and it was up to her to stay strong and not let them. As she stepped into the kitchen she figured it was safe to assume Joker was still not home, which was rather unfortunate since she knew he was the only one who could put an end the henchmen's loud and annoying behavior.

Kat stepped into the kitchen as loud and blaring laughter erupted from the living room, but she found this easy to ignore as she stared at the large pile of dirty dishes that sat in and around the sink. She continued to stare at them blankly, the thought crossing her mind to just put them in the dishwasher, and with a defeated sigh she stepped over to the sink, and she opened the dishwasher, glancing at the time on the microwave directly above it before turning to the sink. She made as face as she picked up the first dish to place it in the dishwasher, and she just started to wonder to herself why she was even doing the dishes in the first place when in the corner of the eye she noticed she had company, and upon turning to the arch she noticed Bozo and the familiar taxi driver, Leroy, step into the kitchen.

"Well, hello there!" Leroy greeted, raising his bushy eyebrows while Kat frowned, her eyebrows slightly furrowed. "Brian was just telling me about your little escapade last night."

"Ugh, my God," Kat mumbled as she heavily rolled her eyes and she turned back to the sink to place a series of glasses on the top rack while Bozo grinned, leaning against the side of the arch just in front of the table.

"Yeah," Bozo chimed in. "Rocco thinks it was rape, but after hearing those noises from her I don't think it was."

Kat frowned deeply as she focused on rinsing off a plate coated with sauce, but their sneers towards her only caused the anger that she had worked so hard to control to rise back up quickly. She barely felt her arms moving as she finished rinsing the plate and she took a deep breath as she placed it onto the bottom rack.

"Jesus that's _so_ unlike him! How long have we known him, huh? Almost four years now?" Bozo nodded with a wide smile while Kat clenched her teeth, Leroy's heavy New York accent getting on Kat's last nerve, but she willed herself to ignore him as she started to place in the silverware . "Yeah. So in those four years, when did you _ever_ hear of him doing this shit with one of his... _females_?" Kat stared at the tile back splash on the wall in front of her as she idly held a small steak knife loosely in between her fingers, her grasp tightening when she heard Bozo laugh. "I mean, like what? Are you some long lost love of his? Did he kidnap you so you could reunite with-"

Leroy sucked in a breath as the knife Kat had been holding flew in between him and Bozo through the arch, and it landed lamely on the stairs, the small object bouncing down to land peacefully on the floor. Kat breathed in and out deeply as she glared at Leroy, her fists clenched on either side of her while Bozo and Leroy stared at her with wide and confused eyes. Kat hated herself at the moment for her terrible aim, but all she could see was red as pure wrath pulsated throughout her. Her teeth remaining clenched she stormed over to the arch past the two silent men, but she came to a sudden halt when she noticed Joker approaching her from the corner of her eye. She jumped when she turned around, leaving Joker to raise an eyebrow as he looked from her to the stairs.

Walking into the front door, he had been greeted by the loud TV and the site of a knife flying out of the kitchen and onto the stairs. The sight had mildly surprised him, causing him to pause momentarily before he decided to investigate. Now, still staring into Kat's eyes, he took a few slow steps back towards the stairs, breaking his eye contact momentarily to pick up the dirty knife, and he raised his eyebrows when he turned back to her.

"So what's uh- going on?" He asked as he stepped back over to her. Kat remained glaring into his eyes before she finally turned away to stare at the floor.

"Nothing."

Her low and shaking voice caused Joker to arch an eyebrow, and he leaned over to look into the kitchen behind Kat, where he found Leroy and Bozo nervously staring back at him. He hmm-ed to himself before he tossed the knife into the kitchen, the object landing with a clank in the sink, and he grabbed Kat's bruised wrist, ignoring the hiss that escaped from her, and he dragged her towards his office, Bozo and Leroy watching as they disappeared into the room.

He gently pushed on Kat's back, forcing her further into his office while he went about closing and locking the door, leaving Kat to take in her surroundings, surprised to find how organized and cozy the room was. She eyed his rather comfortable looking, large black couch and large TV that hung on the wall, before her eyes roamed over the large book cases until finally she stared at the large wrap around computer desk in front of her. Her attention was torn from it, however, when Joker suddenly walked past her, turning to face her as he leaned against the dark wood, placing his gloved palms on the top.

"I notice there's quiet a lot of... _tension_ in the house lately," Joker started, nodding his head once as he looked at Kat. "With you and the boys. Why is that, Kitty-Kat?"

Kat sighed loudly as she crossed her arms and looked away, her body language clearly indicating she did not want to talk about it. But she could feel Joker glaring at her, and with another sigh she let her hands fly up to the ceiling, her eyes wide as she looked at him. "Because they're all moronic!" She said loudly, letting her hands fall to her sides with a clap. "All they ever do is sit around and be disgusting and taunt me, they never know when enough is enough! They're so..." She brought her hands up closer to her, her fingers curled upward in annoyed rage as she struggled to come up with the word she was looking for.

"...Immature?" Joker finished for her as he slightly raised his eyebrows, tilting his head down slightly.

"Yes!" Kat said, her eyes widening again as she lowered her arms. "I _hate_ them!"

Joker grinned as he shook his head to himself, surprised to find he was enjoying Kat's small but emotional outrage over his group. "You know they do it on purpose, right?" Joker went on, leaning off the desk now so he could take a step closer to Kat. "They _strive _to get under your skin, and they do it _so_ frequently because you let them."

"I don't—" Kat started, her jaw dropping slightly as she looked up into Joker's eyes.

"You _do_," he corrected. "See how you're acting? Their mission's been accomplished. When you _storm_ up the stairs and _slam_ your door, and do that _cute_ _li-ttle_ thing where you glare at them before _stomping_ out of the room with a pout, that's _just_ what they like to see. They feed off it." Joker watched as Kat crossed her arms again, and she looked away from him, her gaze narrowing on the corner of his desk behind him. He licked his lips before he tilted his head down, lowering himself to her level slightly. "Tell me what, exactly, would you have done if that knife was to hit him?"

Kat remained staring at the corner of the desk in thought, picturing the knife actually hitting and sticking into Leroy's body. Unfortunately his question had a valid point, for when Kat tried to picture the scenario further, she couldn't see anything.

"Would you have finished him? Killed him right there in the kitchen? Or, more than likely you would have taken off running in fright. Yes?"

Kat lifted her eyes to glare into his, her lips pulled in a tight frown as she strained to see the blue in them as he gazed back at her. But with no luck, she resorted to looking away from him again and she stared at the bookshelves a few feet away from his desk. Joker's eyes slowly roamed down her body, lingering on her exposed and protruding hip bones, and he pictured what it would feel like to grab them before his eyes wandered back up, a smirk playing on his lips now.

"That's what I thought," he said, his voice dropping an octave. A small shudder ran through Kat, but she ignored it as she slowly glanced back over to him, her own eyes traveling down his body, slowly, before they immediately bounced back up. Joker's smirk expanded into a grin, and he noted the way Kat sucked in a small breath when he slid his hands onto her hips, rubbing his thumbs over the bones. "Speaking of _tension_..." he started in that rough, grave voice. "Were you planning on finishing what you started this morning?" The image of Kat lying naked under him flashed before him in his mind, causing a small wave of goosebumps to grace his skin. He watched as Kat's lips slowly parted, and just beyond them he could see the lower parts of her two, white front teeth, and his tongue came out to lick his own lips quickly before he raised his eyes to look intently back into hers.

Kat's heart had started to pound against her chest as she focused on how cold his leather gloves were against her skin. Her hands quivered, desperate to reach out and take hold of the suspenders she could see beyond his black coat, but with a nervous swallow she restrained herself, trying to remember what she had told herself that morning. But the rude voice inside her was reminding her that she was _weak_, and she knew this to be true as already, in such a quick instant, she felt herself being drawn into him. She knew there was no choice in the matter; what she had started _was_ about to be finished, like it or not, but deep down she thankful for this, and relieved over the fact that this time Joker was the one initiating it. Once again, they were even, their statistics tied in her game.

"Do I have a choice?" Kat finally answered back, pushing past her state of dizziness, and she grinned as she tilted her head to the side, exposing her cream-colored and rather appetizing neck to Joker's eyes. His dark blue orbs glanced back to Kat's browns ones, and his grin widened into a small smile that exposed the top row of his slightly yellowed teeth.

"Nope," he said simply, and he tightened his grip on her waist as he quickly leaned down. Kat had expected him to kiss her, but instead a small whimper escaped from her as Joker bit down rather roughly on her neck, and she closed her eyes tightly as she allowed her body weight to rely completely on Joker as she slid her hands up his chest. As Joker bit down harder on her neck, Kat grabbed the fabric of his coat and slid it down his shoulders, Joker letting go of her neck and sliding his hands from her hips to hold his arms behind him, letting his coat fall to the floor. At the same time, he reached back for Kat's hips while she grabbed his suspenders and they pulled each other closer, Joker instantly slipping his tongue into Kat's mouth for a kiss. She groaned against him as she clutched his suspenders in a tighter grasp, shocks running up her spine as Joker slid his hands from her hips to her ass, and he squeezed it, letting out a small moan of his own into Kat's mouth. A wave of pleasure spread throughout her upon the sensation, and she finally let go of his suspenders to start unbuttoning his shirt.

Grabbing her ass again through the thin material of her cargo pants, Joker turned her around and quickly backed her towards his desk, lifting her up to let her plop down onto the hard surface and he stood in between her parted legs. Kat had finally finished with his shirt and she started to take it off, being careful not to let his suspenders go with it. Her eyes snapped open a short moment later, however, when she felt Joker take his hands from her to start pulling them down, and Kat grabbed the material as she broke the kiss to stare into his eyes.

"No," she said firmly. "Keep these on."

A rush of dizziness swept over Joker upon Kat's low voice speaking her command, and he grinned at her, wondering vaguely why she enjoyed them so much. But in the heat of the moment he obeyed her, letting the strap snap against his skin while Kat hungrily eyed his tattoos, her hands sliding up and down the suspenders before she finally tugged on them, pulling him closer as she locked her lips with his. Joker bit down softly on her bottom lip as he slid his hands up her thighs, and butterflies pulsated in Kat's stomach as Joker started to undo her pants. She let go of his suspenders and placed her palms on the desk, lifting herself up to aid Joker with sliding her pants off, and he growled as he ran his fingertips back up her thighs and under the hem of her shirt, lifting it up and off her a second later.

Fire burning inside her, Kat immediately reached out for his pants, struggling to undo them as her body craved to feel him inside of her. As he continued to kiss her, he rested his hand on his hip, and he touched his thumb to her through her thin underwear, causing Kat to moan out against him as she finally pulled down the zipper on his pants. Her request still fresh in his mind, Joker broke the kiss took his hand from Kat's hips to free himself,, keeping his pants on, and with a straight face he pushed her back onto the desk before grabbing her hips to slide her closer to him, leaving Kat to bend her legs at the knees to place her feet on top of the desk. Kat propped herself up on her forearms and she watched as Joker took hold of himself again, intently anticipating the feeling of him first entering her, and she let her head fall back when she felt him push her underwear to the side. A loud moan flew from Kat's mouth as Joker easily forced himself inside her, and he watched as Kat's jaw dropped, her eyes squeezing shut. With a small chuckle he grabbed hold of her waist as his hips swung into a quick and hazardous rhythm against her.

"Hey," he said, his voice sending a warm rush through Kat's body. "Look at me." His voice was deep and harsh, his tone clearly indicating that he he would waste no time waiting for Kat to comply. Biting her lip, she forced herself back onto her forearms, finding Joker to be starting at her black bra before she let her eyes roam over his upper half, eating up the appearance of his suspenders and half sleeve of colorful tattoos, and even his nipple ring that gleamed in the light. More moans threatened to fly from her mouth, but Kat tried her damnedest to stay quiet. The incident in the kitchen had, admittedly, left her feeling rather embarrassed over her ability to so easily lose control and engage in such an intimate act with the Joker, and she didn't want to give the thugs anything more to talk about. Instead she allowed herself to pant as her eyes met Joker's finally, and they stared deeply into them, intensifying the moment through their harsh eye contact.

Abruptly, Joker stopped his thrusting, leaving Kat to raise her eyebrows in confusion as he grabbed her hips to pull her from the desk.

"Bend over," he commanded, and with a shiver Kat quickly turned around and did what she was told, resting her forearms on the desk while Joker helped with spreading her legs. His eyes absorbed the appearance of her ass, admiring how round and plump it looked in her dark blue thong, and Kat gasped when she felt him slap his hands onto it, squeezing tightly after. She squealed slightly, forcing herself not to groan as she bowed her head at the pleasure and small bit of pain, truly loving how the leather felt against her. Her body was growing impatient but she froze a moment later when she heard Joker snap out the blade from one of his knives, and in a quick fit of panic she quickly glanced behind her shoulder, her body tensing. Joker never looked away from her as he lifted the side strap of her underwear, sliding the blade under it to easily slice the fabric apart, and he watched as the thin material fell to the floor. Kat's heart raced in anticipation and slight fear as she eyed Joker's knife, but she let out a large sigh of relief when he placed it on the desk.

As Joker thrust himself back into her from behind, Kat's cry of pleasure was quickly halted, and he noticed the way she sucked in a deep breath to keep quiet. "Ah, ah, ah," Joker said as his hands found her hips again. "I want you to _scream_. I want the _whole house_ to know what's going on in here_._"

Finding herself no choice, Kat let out that relieving cry as Joker roughly pounded himself into her, going in as deep as he could. She lowered her body and reached her arms flat in front of her to grab the edge of the desk, and she clutched it as hard as she could as she continued to moan out loudly, the noise growing higher pitched each time while her eyes rolled to the back of her head. Joker continued with his rough rhythm as time ticked on, leaving minutes to feel like seconds, going faster and faster until he found himself to be panting heavily.

Kat's mouth fell open as she felt her orgasm quickly creeping up on her, and before she could try and decide how intense it was going to be it tore through her, causing her face to flush and body to be come numb as it tingled, and she cried out loudly over the overwhelming and amazing sensation. Upon feeling her walls clench tightly around him and her quivering body in between his hands, Joker let his head fall back as he came, his own orgasm flowing through him and warming his lower half as he released himself into her, keeping their bodies connected a while longer as he tried to catch his breath.

Kat groaned when she felt him slide out of her, and she quickly turned around to lean against the desk, the room spinning as she watched Joker zip up his pants. She glanced down to the thong that lay loose around her ankle, and she lifted her foot, letting it slide off onto the floor before she bent down to pick it and the rest of her clothes up. She jumped a short second later as she leaned up, finding the Joker to be leaning down at her level as he stared into her eyes.

"Now, I want you to get dressed, and go out there with _confidence_ over what you just did, and _not_ let them get to you, got it?" He watched Kat's lips part as she slowly nodded, her eyes wide, and he grinned a second later before he leaned in to plant a kiss on her moist lips. "Meet me at the door," he finished now. "We got places to be."

Now, Kat's eyebrows met in the middle as she watched him step away from her to head to the opposite side of his desk, and she looked over her shoulder at him. "Where?"

"You'll find out soon enough," Joker said as he rummaged through one of his desk drawers, leaving Kat to sigh quietly to herself and get dressed quickly.

Upon stepping out of the dark hallway the first thing Kat noticed was Rocco, Henshaw, Bozo, Bacardi and Leroy all staring at her in the living room, and she stopped, frozen on the spot as she stared back. Rocco and Henshaw glared evilly, their eyes narrowed on her deeply while Bozo and Leroy grinned slyly, leaving Bacardi to stare at her, confusion in his eyes. Kat swallowed as she remembered Joker's words. _Confidence? Yeah right_.

She finally stepped forward and quickly started past the couch, staring at the floor as she walked towards the door. Her body shook slightly and her legs felt weak and tingly due to her powerful finish with Joker, but regardless she pressed on, and she didn't let out the breath she had been holding until she finally stepped outside. The air was chilly as storm clouds started to gather up above, and Kat cursed to herself as she placed her hands on her upper arms, trying to keep her shivering under control as she wished she had brought a jacket. But nothing on Earth could make her go back inside that house and face the thug's stares; she wasn't confident or proud of what she had just done, again. She was ashamed.

A short moment later the front door opened again, the screen door squeaking loudly as Joker took a large step onto the porch. He looked over to Kat as she looked to him, and he reached into his pocket to draw out his keys to toss to Kat. He shook his head as Kat quickly uncrossed her arms, trying to catch them, but instead they landed with a clank by her feet. "You're driving," Joker explained as he took his phone out, leaving Kat to pick up the keys and follow Joker to his truck. Kat unlocked the truck and nervously got in the drivers seat, wondering where they were going and why Joker was making her drive. As she closed the door, she looked over, watching as Joker dialed a number on his outdated phone and hold it up to his ear.

"Where are we going?" Kat asked quietly the second he looked over to her.

"Turn right at the end of the driveway," Joker said before he turned to face the front again, drumming his fingers on his knee impatiently as he waited for his call to be answered. Her jaw falling open slightly, Kat shuffled through the keyring until she drew what she figured to be the correct one, and she stuck it into the ignition to turn the truck on. It roared to life loudly, and with a nervous swallow she put it in reverse to slowly back out of the driveway before she put it in gear to drive forward, listening to Joker's directions.

A million questions and concerns swarmed through Kat's mind, but she tried to ignore them as she focused on driving truck, the vehicle seeming monstrous to her. She hadn't ever driven any sort of truck before, and she knew the last thing she needed to do was crash it. Fortunately, her lane on the two-lane road was wide with a guardrail on the right of truck, protecting her from the thick forest beyond it, leaving the road to simply wind around hills and trees. Kat took a deep breath, idly listening to the conversation Joker had on the phone.

Five minutes and a few phone calls later, Joker glared down at his phone as he punched in another number, angered over how hard it was to reach the man he needed. He glanced out of the windshield, making sure they hadn't missed their turn yet, before he glanced over to Kat. She looked over at him, her mouth opening slightly before it closed again, and she reverted her eyes back to the road. Joker continued to stare at her, able to tell she was debating on speaking.

"Is there something you'd like to say?" Joker asked, noting how tiny she looked driving his truck. Kat turned to him again for a short second before looking back to the road, and she squirmed a little in the dark gray, leather seat.

"Do you think... I mean-" she shuddered, trying to figure out the best way to ask this. But fact of the matter was it had been on her mind for a while now and she needed an answer and solution. "Should we be using some sort of... protection... if we're going to be doing... you know, _that?"_

She glanced over nervously at him again while a small grin slid onto Joker's blood red lips. Kat did have a point, however. He had been thinking over that himself, but he wasn't about to be the one who had to worry about the protection. "What did you have in mind?" Joker asked passively as he looked back down to his phone.

"I-I don't know," Kat started as she idly looked into her rear view mirror, and she felt her stomach drop and her breath hitch when she noticed the police officer that was following in the short distance behind them. She stared at the car with wide eyes before she quickly swerved back into her lane, her heart racing as she looked at the road now. _A cop_! She thought in a hopeful voice. She glanced over to Joker nervously, knowing there was really no reason to feel excited over this, but maybe there was hope... she'd never know if she never tried.

Growing impatient, Joker held his phone back up to his ear as he looked back over to Kat. "Hmm?" He pressed on, his way of telling her to go on before he glanced back down to his lap once he heard the phone ring.

"Uh..." Kat started as she glanced back into the rear view mirror, and she gently started to swerve her car in her the lane, being careful to keep it under control as she she prayed that the officer would find this to be odd and pull her over. "M-maybe some kind of, birth control?" She went on, not really hearing herself as she continued on her swerving. "Maybe I could-"

"Jake! It's about damn time," Joker suddenly interrupted as his voice boasted into his phone. "Oh I'm doing _fine_, how are _you_? Wonderful. Look, listen..."

Kat glanced into her side view mirror now, noticing how the cop was starting to reduce his distance from the truck as he sped up slightly. Joker's body slightly swayed in his seat, and he was left to wonder why Kat was having such a hard time driving when the sight of red and blue slights caught his attention from the corner of his eye, and he glanced into his side view mirror, his eyebrows meeting in the middle when he finally noticed the cop cruiser directly behind him. He quickly hung up his phone in the middle of Jake's sentence and glanced over to Kat, noticing how frightened she looked, her jaw hanging slack as she nervously looked over to him. Had her plan worked?

"Pull over up there," Joker said as he pointed to a small dirt shoulder on the side of the road. "Stay calm, and don't try anything _stupid,_" he growled, annoyed at the sudden change of plans. Kat turned her head as she slowed the truck to watch as Joker brought his hips up and away from the seat, and her eyes widened as Joker pulled out a small hand gun. He sat back on the seat as he cocked it, leaving Kat to start gasping for air like a fish, her mind in a panic, her plan quickly failing.

Finally she pulled over onto the dirt shoulder, her hands shaking violently as she quickly put the truck in park. She stared out of the rear view mirror after rolling her window down as she watched the cop, a tall man with brown hair, step out of his car and start over to Joker's. She sucked in her lips, biting on them as she turned to Joker, who was slightly leaned over the console, and he held his gun at his side as he watched the side view mirror, waiting for the right moment. Hearing his footsteps right next to her now, Kat slowly turned her head back to the window just as the cop stepped next to it.

"License and registra-" he paused, his eyes going wide as they immediately fell onto the Joker, but in the same instant Joker brought his gun up, easily aiming it at the cop's head and he pulled the trigger, Kat's scream slightly louder than the boom from the gun as blood splattered onto her face, the cop falling backwards to land on the dirt ground. Kat's scream faded and she was left shaking violently in the car while Joker was quick to step out of the truck and round it to head towards the cop. Kat glanced at herself in the mirror, and she felt herself nearly be sick at the site of the small amount of blood that had splattered onto her face and neck, and she tried to catch her breath as she nervously looked out the window.

"Kat!" Joker's harsh voice startled her, and she jumped violently as she looked up at him. "Use your shirt and wipe off this blood on the door here, and on the seat." When Kat continued to just stare at him, he immediately lost all patience in her. "NOW!" He barked, and with a loud and scared whimper Kat quickly pushed open her door, and she horrifically watched as Joker started to drag the police officer's dead body towards the guardrail. She continued to watch as Joker pushed him under the guardrail before he stepped over it to drag the body down the large hill into the thick forest. With another whimper and her stomach clenching, Kat faced the truck, eying the blood that had splattered onto the bottom of the door, and she squatted down, pulling her shirt away from her stomach as she wiped it off, the crimson liquid wet, fresh, and warm.

Once he reached the bottom of the hill Joker dragged the limp body a few more feet towards a small stream where he turned it to lay face down in the water, and after checking the pockets on the cop he started back up the hill quickly. He turned once he reached the dirt shoulder, dissatisfied with the way he had to expose of it, but happy to see the body was totally concealed in the forest, and as he thought about it he wanted somebody to find it. He always enjoyed seeing his murders appear on the news. As he headed towards the side of the truck he stared at the blood splattered on the ground, but as faint thunder rumbled across the sky he knew the rain would wash it away, thus not making it a concern.

On the other side of the truck he found Kat nervously finishing up with wiping the blood off the door, the stomach area of her shirt wet and stained, and she swallowed as she stood up to turn to Joker. He eyed her work, and once he was satisfied he reached forward and opened her door.

"Get in," he said. "And take that off." He waited, staring at Kat as she nervously stared back at him, and he growled as he rolled his eyes. "Now Kat! C'mon!" He watched as she quickly peeled her shirt off with shaking hands, and she swallowed again as she looked up to him. "Put that on the seat," Joker pointed at the passenger seat. "And follow me home."

Kat watched as he turned to head over to the police car before she gently sat her balled up shirt on the passenger seat, and she put the truck in gear while Joker did a sharp turn from the shoulder to turn around and start down the road to head back where they came from. Kat followed his actions, barely making it, and she tried to keep the wheel steady with her shaking hands as her mind replayed what had just happened.

They reached the house a good seven to ten minutes later. Kat continued to breath heavily as she parked the truck in the driveway while Joker drove the cop car onto the dead grass and dirt towards the side of the house. Kat took the keys from the ignition before she grabbed her shirt, and she slowly stepped out of the truck, reaching the porch just as Joker rounded the corner of the house. Joker reached his hand out once he approached her as his eyes narrowed on her shirt.

"Give me that," he started as he took it. "Go take off those clothes and give them all to me, and go shower." He stepped past her to open the door, Kat quickly stepping in behind him and following him as he made his way towards the thugs in the living room. "There's a police car outside," Joker instructed. "Bozo I need you to go look through it, thoroughly, and disconnect any and all radios inside it, yes?"

"Yeah boss," Bozo said quickly as he jumped off the couch to rush outside, finding himself rather excited for the opportunity to work on a car. Joker snapped his gloved fingers at Kat, getting her attention before he pointed to the bathroom door, and she headed over to it, stepping inside and closing the door while Joker waited outside of it. Kat undressed quickly and piled her clothes into her arm before she gently opened the door to hand them to Joker, keeping her body hidden behind the door. He took them without a word and started towards the front door, leaving Kat to close the door and start her shower, her mind and heart racing.

–

After a quick, hot shower, and after vigorously scrubbing her face and body with more soap than necessary, Kat stepped out of the shower, immediately wrapping up in a thin towel. She ignored her dripping hair as she opened the bathroom door, and upon stepping out of the bathroom she noticed the house to be completely silent and empty. Slightly confused but also uncaring of the matter, Kat started up the stairs quickly, closing her bedroom door behind her before heading over to her closet to find something to wear. She dried off her body and wrapped her hair in the towel before getting dressed in another pair of plaid pajama pants and a gray tank top. She was just about ready to leave her room and venture downstairs for a snack when she paused, the sound of faint voices hitting her ears. She turned around and placed a knee on her bed, leaning over to peer through the blinds on the window. More towards the back of the house she noticed Joker standing with Rocco and Henshaw around a large pit of fire. Her eyebrows met in the middle with confusion as she narrowed them on the fire, and was faintly able to make out a light green material at the bottom of the flames. Her jaw dropped at the realization that the material was her favorite pair of cargo pants, and after removing the towel from her head she headed out of her room.

Once she stepped on the porch a shiver immediately ran through as a cold breeze blew past, and faint thunder rumbled against the sun-setting sky as rain drops slowly started to fall. She rounded the corner of the house, looking at Bozo as he leaned down into the car's hood, twisting something with a noisy tool before she looked away to make a beeline towards Joker. As she approached him she noticed Rocco glare at her before he rolled his eyes, and he his brother headed towards the backyard, leaving Joker to turn around when he heard footsteps behind him.

"Why are you burning my clothes?" Kat asked, the heat of the fire rather soothing on her cold skin, and she narrowed her eyes on Joker before she turned back to the somewhat large and foul smelling fire.

"Evidence, Kitty-Kat," Joker said simply as he looked to the fire. "Gotta get rid of it."

Kat sighed loudly. "I have _no_ clothes," she went on to complain as she took a step closer to him, and she pointed her finger to the fire. "If they're just going to keep being destroyed like this then..."

"...then what?" Joker asked as he turned back to her, and he grinned as he looked into her eyes, half of her face and body illuminated in the orange glow.

"Then I'll need to get more," she finished, her voice more hushed as she brought her hand back down to her side. The crackling fire's light flickered over Joker's face, making the white paint to appear a faint orange, and it made the black rings around his eyes appear deeper and his eyes more sunk into to his head. His grin widened he let out a slow and raspy, bone-chilling laugh as he looked back into the fire.

"And how you gonna do that?" Joker asked a moment later as he placed his bare hands into his pockets, and he glanced back over to Kat, eating up her dumbfounded expression with a smirk. "Tell you what," he started, his voice dropping an octave as he turned to face her. "I'll let you go uh... _shop_. But you'll owe me. And I wanna be paid back for it _now_."

His smirk turned into a full on freaky smile, and Kat felt a shudder run up her spine as she swallowed, and already she felt her body giving into him, craving him. Her lips parted as her mind instantly went flashing back to witnessing Joker kill that poor police officer. She knew he murdered, and she knew he did it a lot, but witnessing it was something else entirely. She thought back to how loud that gun shot had been in her ear, causing them to ring loudly and all the blood... She swayed slightly, catching her self from falling as she broke out of her trance.

"How?" She asked, her voice low and quiet, though she knew the answer to this. She watched as Joker's eyes slowly roamed down her body before they slid back up.

"You _know_ how," he growled as he took a short step closer to wrap his fingers gently around her upper arm, her eyes growing wide. "I'll meet you in my room," he growled, and he lowered his head slightly as he continued to glare into her eyes before he tilted it towards the house, signaling she should go inside. She silently stepped away from him to head back into the house, leaving Joker to watch her go from behind his shoulder before he turned back to the fire, watching the long flames a moment longer before he turned to stride into the house himself.

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	12. Falling Away From Me

Kat found Joker's room to be almost completely dark the next morning, the only light coming through the edges of his window that the curtain didn't cover and the morning light that flooded onto his carpet from under the closed and locked door. She opened her eyes and stared into the comfortable darkness as memories of the night before rushed to her mind, and she grinned slightly as she closed her eyes. A soft moan escaped from her as she started to turn around, a tiny shock of left over pleasure running up her legs, but she cringed a second later once her butt touched the mattress. She quickly finished her turn, and was busy hoping she wouldn't be sore all day when she paused, the sound of deep, growling breathing hitting her ears. She opened her eyes, and through the darkness she made out Joker's sleeping figure next to her, his side rising and falling as he slept facing her.

As her eyes adjusted to the darkness, Kat could make out the frown on his bare lips and how his messy hair was thrown in his face, a strand rising and falling gently each time he breathed through his nose. The side of his face was exposed, and she let her eyes roam over his jawline before they narrowed on his exposed scar. She stared at it, noticing how it seemed to form the perfect shape of half a smile, and she was left to wonder why the other side looked nothing like it, or how the scar on his lip had gotten there. She wasn't sure why she suddenly cared so much, but as she looked at it, it was the only thing her mind allowed her to think. She moved her eyes away from it a second later, however, knowing it was useless to wonder about. She'd never know.

A short second later, Joker took in a deep breath through his nose, stirring slightly, and Kat quickly closed her eyes, not ready to be caught staring at him in his most defenseless state. She kept her eyes closed as she she felt Joker moving beside her as he stretched his back, wondering to herself if he was about to get up and leave.

He glanced over behind his shoulder to the alarm clock that sat on the end table, and after realizing how somewhat early it was he rested back on his side, situating his head on the firm pillow as he set the covers on his hips, leaving his top portion exposed. He opened his eyes and let himself stare at Kat, and as his own eyes adjusted to the darkness he focused heavily on her plump lips, immediately recalling how they had felt against his neck the night before. He stared at her eyebrows, noticing how their arched shape caused her to look slightly angry and annoyed in her sleep before his eyes traveled down her exposed arms over the blanket, and he traced the outline of her body from under the comforter, noting quickly how uneven her breathing was, which loudly screamed the fact that she was most likely not asleep.

He wasn't sure what came over him, and he didn't want to know as he reached out to tug on the comforter, slowly sliding it down her while his eyes followed its path. Kat's heart began to race as the cool air hit her upper half, but before she could do anything Joker reached forward, snaking his hands onto her hips to pull her naked frame over to him, and her eyes popped open once she felt her body hit his as he wrapped his strong arms around her waist. She relaxed quickly, however, once she realized how warm his skin was against her, and she rested her forearms against his chest as she brought her head back slightly to look at him.

"Hi," she finally said, feeling the need to speak. Her voice was low and slightly hoarse, her throat still sore from screaming, and Joker grinned at this.

"How long have you been awake?" He asked rather than responding to her lame greeting. Kat's lips parted slightly, his question throwing her off as she wondered how he had known.

"A few minutes," she answered simply.

"Mhm," Joker mumbled gravely before he pulled her closer, his lips instantly touching hers. He blamed his sleepy state of mind for his action as he wondered what had come over him to perform the act, but the thoughts were wiped away when he felt Kat slide her soft hands up his chest to rest on the area where his neck met his shoulders.

While the good morning kiss was rather enjoyable, Kat pulled away a long moment later, and she nervously licked her lips before swallowing the lump in her sore throat down. She recalled everything she had done last night, and she felt her face flush as she wondered how she allowed herself to so easily give in to that three times already. She knew it was useless to convince herself to stop, because at this point she _liked_ doing it, and she found herself looking forward to it on a day by day basis now. She hated Joker, she hated the face-paint he wore, how he acted most times and how he had come to nearly ruin her life completely, but there was just something about the way their bodies so perfectly connected. Kat had never experienced anything like it, and the animal inside her wasn't ready to give it up. But no matter how hard she tried, she could never come up with a reason as to _why_ they did it. Given Joker's past she should have been dead by now, or at least, on her part, she should have known all along not to toy with him, she was smarter than that, she respected herself more than that. Given her current situation, it made no sense for them to engage in such an intimate, seal the deal act, or be able to initiate it so easily as well.

Kat lifted her eyes to stare into his now, and she blinked slowly before taking in a deep breath. "Why do we do... you know... what we do?" Kat stumbled out her question, her eyebrows meeting in the middle as nervousness over her question washed over her. But she was desperate for an answer, and she hoped that perhaps Joker would have it.

Joker stared back into her eyes a moment longer before he finally licked his lips, and he closed his eyes as he took a deep breath of his own. "Because there's no reason to say no." He figured this answer would suffice, especially when he had no idea how to answer her question in the first place, not that he really cared to. He didn't know why they did it, and he wished the situation always fell on the logic of 'why not? I'm bored', when the truth was he could never control himself, and he found himself wanting to do it on his own. Last night had been different, however. He had been thinking about it in advance, leaving no time for that tension to come into play to give him an excuse for why he did what he did. Something was different with Kat, and that something constantly made him act oddly around her...

Joker suddenly let an annoyed growl, and he took his arms away from her abruptly before turning around. Confused, Kat scooted away from him, growing annoyed as she stared at his back. She glared at the back of his head before she rolled her eyes, wondering what had come over him, especially after he been acting so... humanly normal. _Dick_, she thought sourly to herself.

"Can I use your shower?" She asked, Joker immediately noticing her irritated tone of voice, and he could feel her heavy gaze on him. Had his eyes been open he would have rolled them, but instead he sighed out loudly, deciding her leaving the room would probably be a good thing at this point.

"Go for it," he mumbled, and with that Kat let out an annoyed huff as she got out of his bed to quickly disappear into the bathroom, being careful not to slam the door. She quickly locked it and turned to face the shower, immediately sliding open the door to start it. Annoyance over Joker's sudden bad mood still running through her, she glanced into the mirror, glaring at herself until she slowly turned around, her eyes sliding down onto her ass. Her jaw dropped slightly upon the site of the glowing red color the skin gave off, and with a groan she turned away from the mirror to test the temperature of the water, finding it hard to believe Joker had really slapped her ass that hard the night before.

After a biting hot shower, and after wrapping up in a big, fuzzy towel, Kat started to the door, leaving a trail of dripping water in the steamy bathroom behind her as she unlocked it. Upon opening the door, she found the room the be empty, the covers on Joker's bed pushed back as though he had just left. With a small sigh she turned off the bathroom light and ventured through his dark bedroom and onto the landing, glancing over the railing to the rest of the house, which she found to be partially empty, save for the noises coming from the kitchen. She ignored them, however, and continued to her room, closing her door behind her gently.

She shuffled quickly through her few clothing items in her closet, growing more and more agitated with every time she started from the beginning. Finally, she settled on a pair of black, skinny pants and a small, crimson t-shirt with a low dipping v-neck, and after running the towel over her hair, she exited her room to step onto the landing, deciding that perhaps a cup of tea would help calm her increasingly fowl mood. But her shoulders slumped noticeably when she stepped into the kitchen as she stared at Joker, who was sitting in his usual spot at the table, drinking a glass of orange juice while he went through his cell phone. He had put on a pair of black sweats, but he remained shirtless while his face was still bare and his hair a tangled mess. He wore a large scowl on his face, and Kat was unsure if it was left over from the morning or if it was due to complications with his phone. But regardless, she could not stop her eyes from wandering down to his bare chest, and she glanced at his colorful half sleeve of tattoos before she blinked rapidly, tearing her eyes from his to continue to ignore him. He had so suddenly cut her off from him, after she hadn't done a thing. _He_ had been to the one to pull her closer and _he_ was the one who kissed her. There was no problem with Joker being in a bad mood, Kat could understand that, but she knew he was crazy if he didn't think she'd push a bad mood right back onto him.

She leaned down to grab her box of tea from the lower cabinet, and just as she leaned up Joker had stood from the table, and she paused, glancing up at him when he stood in front of her.

"Here," he grunted, and Kat's eyes traveled down to his extended arm, where she found a large wad of cash in his hand. Her eyebrows met in the middle with hesitation as she looked back to his bare face.

"What's that?" She asked, unsure if she was supposed to take it or not. Joker sighed loudly.

"It's _money_," he said rudely. "You said you needed new clothes or whatever, so _here_."

With further hesitation, Kat slowly took the money from him, and once it was in her possession Joker quickly turned around to plop back down at the table, immediately picking up his glass of pulp rich orange juice to take a large sip. As he swallowed the tart liquid he placed the glass down before picking up his cell phone again.

"There's four hundred dollars there," he explained in a bland tone of voice, and he didn't even bother to look at her. "Give me back whatever you don't spend and be back before three. Leroy's outside waiting in his cab and he'll pick up at two thirty, got it?" He glanced up at Kat, and he stared at her, waiting for a response. Finally, Kat nodded slowly, still confused and rather thrown off. "Can I trust you not to do anything _stupid_ while you're out... _alone_?" He growled, and he cocked an eyebrow. Kat sucked in a small breath, wondering if he was really about to let her shop all alone with nobody to surveillance her. It seemed too good to be true, but Kat nodded her head slowly as she exhaled finally. Joker remained glaring into her eyes, wondering quickly if perhaps this was a bad idea, but without a further thought he looked back down to his phone. Kat took this as her cue to leave, and after putting the tea box back she exited the kitchen and headed to the front door.

She found Leroy's cab waiting for her outside, idling behind Joker's truck, and she headed over to it, ignoring Leroy's smirk through the window as she opened up the back door to slide inside. His cab smelled heavily of cigarettes, but Kat tried her hardest to ignore it as she crossed her legs, leaving Leroy to put the car in reverse and back out of the driveway.

"So, the _mall_, huh?" He asked as he glanced at her through the rear view mirror once they had gotten on the main road. Naturally, Kat ignored him, and he shook his head with a grin as he looked back to the road. In the back, Kat slowly unfolded the money, and she mouthed the numbers to herself as she counted, still unable to believe the rather generous thing Joker was doing for her. Four hundred dollars? Kat's parents, rich socialites who _constantly_ gave her money for things, never had given her _this _much. She couldn't help but feel slightly overwhelmed, however. What was she supposed to do with this? Would Joker be angry if she was to spend all of it?

With a head full of confusing thoughts Kat folded the money and placed it securely into her pocket, and she placed her hands on her lap as she turned to look out the window. Leroy looked back at her through the mirror, his eyes falling onto the low collar of Kat's shirt before they rose back up to her face.

"So," he started up again. "Joker's actually letting you go somewhere by yourself. That's shocking." He glanced back to the barren road while Kat rolled her eyes, in no mood to converse. With that subject failing, Leroy figured he'd jump into a new one, deciding it would make his morning to get under Kat's skin. "It's shame that knife didn't hit me, eh?" He asked now, and he grinned when Kat slowly turned to look into his eyes through the mirror with a glare. "Yeah... maybe you should have your _boyfriend_ teach you how to aim."

Kat rolled her eyes again as she looked back out of the window, aware of what he was trying to do. She took in a deep breath through her nose, but the stench of cigarettes did nothing to help calm her mood, so rather she tried to calm down on her own as she watched the various abundance of trees pass by in the window. Leroy continued to grin as he took the exit off the road they had been on that led to the city. "He is not my boyfriend," Kat said sourly, unable to hold back the words that had to be spoken. She immediately regretted it, however when Leroy let out a laugh.

"Well you sure do fuck him like he's your-"

"God!" Kat suddenly spoke in a loud voice as she looked forward again to stare at Leroy in the mirror, unable to control her boiling anger. She couldn't even begin to fathom how ridiculously annoyed she was of constantly having to be reminded this. "Yes! I _fucked_ the Joker. It wasn't rape, it was anything. It was all intentional, so please just shut _up_ and drop it!" Her jaw remained dropped as she glared into his eyes, and she mumbled under her breath as she leaned back, turning her head to look out of the mirror. Unsure of what to say now, Leroy looked back to the road, still surprised over Kat's sudden outburst.

Kat breathed in and out deeply as she looked out of the window without seeing anything. Her loud, sudden confession she had _finally_ spoken out loud left her feeling incredibly lightheaded. She knew that everyone in the house was aware of what her and Joker did, and she was constantly reminding herself of her idiotic actions in her head, but there was just something about speaking the words out loud, to let them roam freely in the air and into the ears of whoever was listening, that seemed to really give her an inkling as to how serious of an issue it was. Fortunately, as the minutes passed on, Leroy remained silent, leaving Kat time to think quietly to herself.

A good twenty minutes later Leroy was pulling up to the curb of Gotham's large mall, and Kat stepped out of the cab without a word to storm over to the tall glass doors. Leroy glanced at the time, and he drove away from the building as he wondered what he could to to knock out four hours.

Kat was immediately greeted with the bustle of people in the mall, with friends walking and talking loudly in large groups, couples holding hands, or parents and grandparents restlessly following their children as they eagerly tugged on their hands. Gotham's mall was huge, with high, towering ceilings and tall, black walls. The floors were made of a magnificent white marble, the shine so outstanding it nearly served as a mirror. The large walkways seemed endless as they led every which way, leaving Kat to feel overwhelmed on her choice of where to go. But with a deep breath she started down the walkway in front of her, deciding she should be happy that right now her only concern was shopping. She had what seemed like a limitless amount of money and four hours to kill, and she knew she should make the most of her time alone.

But this seemed to be harder than Kat had anticipated. She had never been big on shopping, clothes or fashion, and she was quick to judge each store as she walked past it, idly glancing into their doors before being quick to decide it held nothing that she liked. But the inner voice inside her reminded her to make the most of the great opportunity she had here; she had the option to buy whatever she wanted. Chances were this wouldn't come up again, so with a sigh of defeat she entered the random store on her right, thinking that maybe it would be interesting to try on clothes she wouldn't normally buy.

This new found attitude left her to spend a good few hours visiting nearly every store, where she tried on all sorts of different items, though she made sure that they still pertained to her. She easily skipped over any jeans or frilly, bright colored shirts, and instead focused more on purchasing skinny, cotton pants and cargo pants, along with more tank tops and random t-shirts. When it came to shopping and clothes, Kat always went for comfort rather than fashion, and after buying another pair of pajama pants and some shorts, Kat was busy wondering what time it was when she paused suddenly to stare into the small lingerie shop's windows next to her, gazing at the hot pink walls, deep purple floors, and an abundance of racks and shelves that contained ridiculous amounts of bras and underwear and every further sexual clothing item that came with it. Kat continued to idly stare into the store, her eyebrows furrowed as she seriously debated on taking a peek inside. But she shook her head in disgust at herself as she immediately pressed herself on past the store. The only reason she would buy anything in that store was to impress the Joker, which at this point seemed like the lowest of the low thing to do, especially when her game had ended a while ago. And after his hostile mood towards her that morning, she knew Joker didn't deserve anything good from her anyway.

But as her distance grew further from the store, Kat couldn't help but think that maybe it would be worth it to look inside and perhaps even buy something. With just over two hundred dollars left, Kat could buy and wear something that would totally drive Joker wild. It was ridiculously obvious to her at this point that he was insanely attracted to her body, and she had to wonder what he'd do if she was to _enhance_ it in some way. A grin crept onto her face as she pictured Joker being forced to get out of his fowl mood and surrender to her, and fall completely powerless to her as she showed off her assets. In a way, it would prove to him that Kat was not one to be played with, and she was not going to be there to constantly take and deal with whatever bad mood he threw at her. She wanted to show him, physically, that she had just as much power over him as he thought he did over her.

Her grin widened as she stopped suddenly to turned around, dodging past the people going the opposite way as she headed back to the store. She wanted to be angry at herself for deciding to go through with it, but the prize in the end was much too good to pass up. In her mind there was nothing better than taking down the attitude of a cocky person, proving to them that they did not own the world.

Kat felt out of place the second she stepped foot in the store, but she pushed past the awkward feeling and started to the very left of the store to start browsing. The variety of underwear and bras overwhelmed her, and she found herself staring dumbfounded at them as she tried to make a choice. But as she switched hands with her two giant bags of clothes, she was quick to remember Joker's odd infatuation with her ass, which left her to figure that piece of information was a good place to start.

An hour and a full bag of lingerie later, Kat was finally headed towards the exit of the store, feeling rather excited about her choices, though she would never admit this out loud. It was so unlike her to ever want to impress anybody, but as she got closer the exit she found herself eager to tease Joker. She stepped out of the store and started down the main walkway, wondering what she could do for another hour when she suddenly heard her name being called in the distance. She turned around slowly, glancing at the wave of people behind her, ignoring their grunts of displeasure as they were forced to step a foot out of their way to go around her still figure, and she was just about to turn back around when her heart gave a sudden shock of surprise. Approaching her quickly was Selina, a small shopping bag in her hand, but rather than giving her a polite smile like she always did, she was left to stare at Kat once she had approached her.

"H-hi," Kat said slowly as her eyes wandered down Selina's body, taking note of her choice of clothes, which consisted of small black spaghetti strap, black skirt, and black, wide spaced fishnets. Kat's eyebrows furrowed as she looked back up to her face, her make-up dark, making her eyes appear more cat-like while her curly and wild hair was left hanging just barely past her shoulders. "How are you?" She finally asked.

"I'm fine," Selina said, sounding somewhat bitter. "How are you?" She raised her eyebrows as she tilted her head to the right slightly, glaring daggers into Kat's eyes. It was bewildering how different Selina not only looked, but how she was acting. Kat never would have guessed it was the same person.

"G-good," Kat started, lifting a hand to touch it to the back of her neck as she forced another smile. She watched as Selina's eyes traveled down to stare at her various bags before they wandered back up to Kat's make-up less eyes.

"So you got the job, I take it?" Selina asked, and she cocked an eyebrow when Kat made a slightly confused face, her lips parting. "You know, the one you had an interview for the day we met up?"

"Oh, yeah," Kat said. "Right."

"So what's the job?" Selina asked as she shrugged slightly, her demeanor clearly showing Kat she wasn't believing a word of anything she was saying or was about to.

"A.. waitress..." Kat said slowly, and she couldn't help but get annoyed when she noticed Selina rolled her eyes.

"A waitress?" She asked. "You must have been saving up for a while to afford this shopping trip, huh?"

"Look, get off my case," Kat suddenly said as she raised her voice. "I'm _fine _and I don't need to stand here and play twenty questions with you."

"Right... _fine_," Selina repeated. "For somebody who lives _uptown _you sure do spend a lot of time down here."

"Whatever," Kat mumbled as she rolled her eyes, and she started past Selina, leaving her to sigh as she turned around to watch Kat go.

"Kat I wish you'd just tell me whats going on!" She called after her, but Kat ignored her as she continued to storm down the walkway towards the entrance of the mall. Selina continued to watch her until finally she turned around to continue the opposite way, vowing to herself that she would find out where Kat really was and what was going on. At this point she knew where ever she found Kat she was bound to find Joker as well...

–

Kat had spent the rest of the hour sitting on a bench outside of the mall, fuming about her brief encounter with Selina. She found it odd the was so easily annoyed at Selina's rapid questions and sarcastic tone, but deep down Kat knew she was only trying to find out what was going on, and why Kat had so suddenly and easily blown her off. Kat was certain it would end in death if she was to tell Selina the truth; there was simply nothing she'd be able to do about it.

At two thirty on the dot Leroy had picked Kat up right where he had dropped her off in the morning, and the ride was perfectly silent the whole way home, which left Kat some more time to think things over, and privately hope Joker was in a better mood upon her return. Unfortunately it seemed otherwise...

The warmth of the house was relieving on Kat's cold skin as she stepped inside the house, and she closed the front door behind her with her foot, leaving Leroy to let out an annoyed sigh from the other side as he was forced to open it back up. As Kat walked through the house, she strategically placed her bag of lingerie items in front of the other two, the store name on the bag, '_Intimates' _clearly expressing what was inside, and Kat hoped this would send a loud hint to Joker, given his mood had improved. She rounded the corner and peered into the kitchen, surprised to find Joker sitting, once again, in his same spot, and she was left to wonder if he had stayed there all day so far. She knew he gotten up at some point, however, to shower, get dressed and apply his traditional paint to his face. She stared at him a moment, noticing he now wore a pair of purple pinstripe pants and his traditional green vest over a blue button up shirt. She finally looked away from him as she stepped past the table to stand somewhat in front of him, and she rattled the bags slightly as she reached into her back pocket.

Cocking an eyebrow, Joker looked away from the comics in the paper to glance over at Kat. His eyes traveled down her body, quickly looking at the medium sized, dark blue bag that in front before he looked back up to Kat, easily ignoring this. Finally Kat leaned over to place a fifty dollar bill on the table, and his eyebrows met in the middle as he picked up.

"Really?" He asked as he unfolded it, and he held it up in the air with his bare, glove-less hand as he looked into Kat's eyes. "How does a girl like _you_ manage to spend three hundred and fifty bucks at the _mall_?"

At this Kat's face fell into a pissed off frown. "Girl like _me_? What's that supposed to mean?"

"You know what it means," Joker said back as he turned away from her to finish reading the comics section. Kat remained glaring at him, her mood instantly turning around while she remained in Joker's pissed-off presence. Apparently her plan at a small and subtle hint hadn't worked, so with a sigh she turned around and marched out of the kitchen, up the stairs and into her room, where she noisily closed her door behind her. She let her bags drop next to her on the floor before she picked up one of the larger ones to dump the contents of it onto the bed before following in suit with the other two.

For nearly two hours she busied herself with removing price tags and placing her new clothes and shoes into her small, _very_ crowded closet now, and once the task was done she turned to her bed, eying the large pile of underwear that sat on it. She sat down on the foot of her bed and sorted through the items with a scowl, the facial expression growing more exaggerated the longer she went through the pile. _What was I thinking_? She wondered to herself as she tossed a pair of fishnet stockings onto her pillow in a fit of annoyance. Had the circumstances been any different, Kat would have _never_ picked out the things she did. Fishnets were itchy and uncomfortable, push-up bra's hurt and called for too much, unwanted attention to her chest, and boy shorts annoyed her to death, so given her view on the garments, why had she spent so much money on buying them in abundance? The Joker...

She rolled her eyes as she continued to toss the underwear towards the head of her bed, wondering how it was at all possible she had let herself surrender into the stupid act of trying to impress other people. What did Kat care, and _why_ did she feel the need to impress the Joker? It was all impulsive; it seemed their whole relationship was built on impulsive actions. Or, at least it once had. When shopping, _alone, _Kat had felt no impulsiveness, her decision had come from rational thinking. Kat groaned at this realization as she tossed the last article away from her, put she paused, staring at the black boy shorts that had just landed on her pillow. She was forgetting that she hadn't necessarily bought the underwear to _impress _Joker completely, but to _dominate. _Curiosity getting the better of her, she leaned over and picked them up.

She stood from the bed and quickly got out of her pants before speedily swapping underwear. She nervously glanced at the bedroom door before she took a step over to her closet to open the door, sighing loudly as she already knew the sad results of the how the underwear would look on her. She paused a short second later, however, and she sucked in a small breath as her eyes wandered down her body. The shorts sat low on her hips, exposing her symmetrical hipbones while the black color caused her skin to appear more white and creamy, and with an arched eyebrow she slowly turned around to peer down at her ass, and her eyes widened slightly as she stared at the reflection. The underwear brought justice to the area of her body like no other underwear could ever do, and she couldn't help but admire the way the bottom most part of her ass cheeks peeked out from under the thin material, leaving her legs to appear that much more slender as compared. Her lips parted slightly as she turned to the front again, and in an instant she turned to the bed to pick up the matching, black bra to put it on. Once she clasped the back and adjusted the straps, she stood in front of the mirror once again, unable to help but admire the way the bra made her already somewhat smaller breasts appear larger. Her eyes traveled down her flat stomach, looking over the wide curve of her hips before she looked back into her own eyes, a malicious grin appearing on her lips. She knew there was no way in hell Joker wouldn't go wild over the site of her like this.

So with a brand new attitude on the subject, Kat quickly re-dressed in her previous clothes, leaving her new underwear on underneath as she started down the stairs. Joker was _still_ sitting in the kitchen, even almost two hours later, and Kat couldn't help but cock an eyebrow at him as she appeared in the doorway, hoping her seduction tricks would work this time, and that Joker was out of his ridiculously annoying fowl mood. She couldn't help but to stare at him, however, as her eyes traveled up his exposed arms, his shirt sleeves pushed up while he his hair hung in his face due to his bowed head, hiding his eyes and only showing his red, painted, scowling lips. But as Kat stepped into the room, Joker couldn't help but to let out an annoyed sigh after glancing up at her before flipping pages in the newspaper, finding himself rather displeased to see her. While it was simply his own doing to stay in the kitchen, or in areas of the house where Kat was free to roam about, he knew he had little reason to be annoyed at her, but something in his mind had clicked that morning. The first thing he had done upon waking up that morning was pull her close and _kiss_ her, and for the life of him Joker could not figure out why. He was once able to pride himself with the fact that he had never been so affectionate towards a girl, but now that reputation was ruined, all because of some random, impulsive act..

He glared at her from over the paper, watching as she made her way towards the table. He easily looked away from her to try and focus back on a random article, but the thought of her standing less than four feet from him at the other end of the table was enough to make his already bad mood worsen. He quickly folded back up the paper and let it fall onto the table, and he had just scooted his chair back to stand when Kat suddenly spoke up.

"I, um... wanted to thank you for today," she started somewhat hesitantly. Joker glanced back over to her, his eyes immediately falling to stare at the large amount of cleavage she showed from her shirt as she leaned over the table, her arms folded underneath her. From the side of her v-neck collar, he could see a hint of lace from her bra peeking out, and he couldn't help but to raise an eyebrow at this before he looked back up glare into her eyes. Kat continued to stare at him, hopeful he was out of his mood, especially when the scent of his strong, delicious cologne was only taunting her at this point, making her want to hit two birds with one stone with her plan. But instead Joker stood abruptly from the table.

"Sure." He mumbled the word in a low, careless voice as he placed his empty orange juice glass into the sink, leaving Kat to roll her eyes heavily to herself as she stood to her full height, and she turned around to lean her lower back against the table.

"What's your problem today?" She dared to ask rather bluntly, but she felt her stomach drop when Joker stopped, mid step, to glance over at her. But Kat kept on a firm face as she glared at him, honestly finding herself more annoyed than ever at his mood. But as she continued to breathe in the scent of his cologne, she found the urge to give into him growing stronger and stronger until finally, in those short few seconds, it completely consumed her mind.

Joker immediately interpreted that look in her eye as she stared blankly at him, and a small dizzy-spell fell over him as his eyes dropped to her lips. But in an instant he brought them back up, firmly telling himself to just leave and get away from her, for that impulsiveness was being quick to creep up on him to force him to do things he wouldn't normally do. But Joker couldn't go knowing her hostile tone voice would go unpunished.

"My _problem_?" He repeated as he narrowed his eyes on her, wanting to desperately see her blank face turn into a fearful expression, but rather it turned into a look of deepened annoyance as she glared up at him. He continued to glare at her until he smirked, a small breath of laughter escaping past him as he shook his head. "Nothing," he finally said. "Forget it." Like hell he was about to stand there and tell her the truth, express to her that _she_ was the problem. It was pointless, talking about problems never helped anybody, and Joker felt a surge of annoyance spread through him with realizing he was actually about to do that.

"Get over it," Kat finally said, leaving Joker to stop in his tracks once again to face her, his own look of annoyance falling onto his features. "Nobody did anything wrong towards you today, so drop it and get out of your mood."

"Gee, Kitty-Kat, those are such _strong_ words from the girl who should take her _own advice_," Joker growled back as he turned to face her, glaring down evilly into her eyes.

"Whatever," Kat finally mumbled a short minute later, and she leaned off the table, ready to forget her plan and go upstairs, but Joker held out an arm, stopping her, and with a loud sigh she glanced back up at him.

"No," he said harshly, looking now for an opportunity to perhaps hurt her, a way to get some of his annoyance and anger out in an effort to remind himself why he had taken Kat in the first place. "_Enlighten _me. What are _you_ going to do about it?"

Kat sucked in a deep breath as she glared intently into his eyes, a strange mix of anger and impulsive lust flowing throughout her. However, the equation came to a startling answer that would only ever make sense to Kat, and a cocky smirk came to play on her lips. "I'll show you," she said in a tone that was just as bold and harsh as Joker's had been, and she reached out, grabbing his wrist to drag him as best as she could behind her towards the stairs without so much as another word.

A shock ran through Joker for a split second at her rather brave and daring action, but he smirked a second later as he let her lead him up the stairs, curiosity leaving him to wonder what her next move was. It seemed her random and _stupid_ act was already lifting his spirits, for he found her attempt to take control rather pathetic and entertaining. A small wave of confusion hit him quickly, however, as Kat pushed open _his_ bedroom door to storm inside. She let go of his wrist to shut and lock the door, perhaps a bad move on her part, while Joker was left to just stare at her. The urge to slam her against the wall and choke her was great, the image consuming his mind, but on the other hand he wanted to see what she was going to do next.

Turning around, Kat took a large step back over to him while her heart raced, and she pushed him as hard as she could towards the bed, but she gasped when Joker grabbed her upper arms as hard as he could as he let himself fell back, pulling her with him. With Kat laying on top of him, Joker continued to squeeze her arms, tight enough to leave painful bruises while Kat was left to stare down at him with wide eyes.

"So, this is your idea of getting me out of my _bad_ mood?" Joker growled his question at her, expecting to see her struggle away from him in fear, but instead she firmly held his eye contact. "You know this isn't going to end well for _you_, _right_?"

Kat narrowed her eyes, her heart starting to race even faster as she began to feel lightheaded. "Just _watch_," she said roughly back at him. "Let go."

Slightly taken back by her command, Joker narrowed his own eyes on her, but against his will he felt his grasp loosen, leaving Kat to slide her arms away from him. His own lips parted slightly as he watched her lean away from him and scoot herself down on the bed, and in an instant he felt all the blood in him drain southward when she placed her fingers on the top of his pants. In a flash Joker leaned up, resting his forearms behind him before he reached forward to snatch Kat's wrist.

"What are you _doing_?" Joker glared at her, hating the way a small, playful and confident grin spread onto her lips.

"You _know _what I'm doing," Kat replied in a sultry tone. Joker's evil and deep glare sent a shiver up her spine, leaving her to quickly second guess her actions and wonder if she wanted to go through with what she was about to do, but as she continued to stare at him her answer seemed clear. "Sit back."

Joker breathed out deeply from his nose in annoyance, but some invisible power forced him to let go of her wrist and lean back to let her go through with what she was so obviously about to do. He kept his eyes focused intently on her hands as she took her time undoing his pants, hating how his body was reacting towards her, but for some reason or another he just couldn't force her to stop...

He couldn't help but let out a small breath of relief as Kat released him from the prison his pants created, but he was smart to mask the sigh as that of annoyance. He slid his eyes back up to Kat, watching her slightly hesitate as she grabbed the base of him tightly, but her demeanor seemed to suddenly change in an instant. A chill ran through Joker as she leaned forward to lick the full, massive length of him, all while never breaking eye contact. His jaw hung slightly slack as she did it again, until he let out a loud growl as he leaned his head back, both enjoying and not enjoying the way Kat was teasing him.

"Don't even pretend you don't like it," Kat said in a low, hushed voice, and she watched as Joker brought his head back up to glare at her. She smirked at him once more before she she finally forced herself to lean forward again, and she closed her mouth over him, going down as far as she could before she slid her lips back up slowly.

Another violent shudder ran through Joker, the muscles in arms giving out slightly, and he reached forward to grab her hair, desperate to do anything that would put him back in control, but Kat was quick to grab his wrist once his fingers made contact with her long, wavy locks.

"No," Kat said in a stern voice. "If you want this you're not allowed to touch me."

A sly grin formed on Joker's face, his eyes narrowing on hers, and for some reason or another he let go of her hair, resting back into his forearms as he decided Kat's taking control was sort of creating a dangerous, malicious mood, and he liked it. So with this sudden new attitude, he let himself relax, deciding for the time being he'd let her think she had total control...

Finally Kat closed her plump lips around his rock hard dick, sucking slightly as she gripped him harder at the base. Joker let out a sharp breath as he tilted his head back, surprised to find it was taking everything in him not to reach out and grab her head as she continued with the motion. But as Kat started to slowly bob her head up and down, moving her hand up and down the length of him in sync, he gripped the sheets under him, doing everything in his power not to let her know how he was actually enjoying it.

Kat continued with her head movements, gaining speed until she took him into her mouth as far as she could, and sucked on him gently before letting her lips slide off him, causing a small popping noise to be heard. She noticed Joker's eyes were closed and how tightly he was gripping the bed sheets, and as she took him in her mouth again she laughed slightly to herself, the "_hmm's_" sending a strong vibration through him. Joker growled lowly at this, which only fueled Kat more, and she squeezed him harder as she picked up the motion with her head, gaining speed quickly.

Minutes turned into seconds as Kat continued with this, leaving fits of shivers to run through Joker and all he could focus on was the suction feeling and wetness of her mouth, and how her plump lips created an enclosure that kept it all together. He felt that familiar, tickling sensation start in the pit of his stomach, and without any warning he suddenly leaned forward to bury his fingers into Kat's hair and yank her head up. She stared at him wide-eyed, surprised by his action, until the pain on her scalp started to become unbearable, and she reached her hand up to grab his wrist in a pathetic attempt to make him let go. But Joker was having enough of her game, and was quick to decide that _he_ was meant to be in control.

He pushed Kat away from him as he stood from the bed, and before Kat could do anything else he grabbed her hips and pulled her towards him, instantly locking their lips in a rough kiss. Confused by Joker's sudden hostility, Kat quickly placed her hands on his chest in an effort to push him away, but her actions failed and left Joker to laugh against her lips.

"Ah, ah," he said as he pulled away, and he glared deeply into her eyes through the dimness of his bedroom. "You wanted this, so now you're getting it."

Rather than cowering as his bone chilling words, a small grin formed onto Kat's lips. "Fine," she said as she gazed just as deeply into his eyes. "Get to it then."

Joker's eyebrows met in the middle with slight confusion. He was thrown off by her bold tone and she didn't seem to be afraid in the least bit. He left himself no time to wonder why as his hands immediately traveled to the front of her pants, and he worked on undoing them quickly before he started to slide them down, only to pause suddenly. He let the fabric fall to her ankles as he gazed at her choice of underwear, his mind instantly recalling the name of the store on that small, blue bag. An evil grin slid onto his lips, the facial expression alone sending a strong shock up Kat's spine as she stepped out of her pants to kick them behind her.

"Turn around," Joker commanded in a gruff voice, and with a small smirk she did as she was told, and she slowly spun around until Joker grabbed her hips, stopping her with her back facing him. Joker's eyes wandered slowly down her flawless back until they stopped on her ass, and his tongue idly traced the scar on his bottom lip as he stared, taking in the way her symmetrical cheeks peeked out from underneath the black, lacy-rimmed fabric. He let out a content growl as he slid his hand from her hip to rest it on her upper back, and he led her over to the foot of the bed, all while never breaking his gaze at her ass. Kat was busy grinning to herself, knowing she had won, but a loud gasp escaped past her lips when Joker suddenly pushed her, forcing her to bend over on the foot of the bed. She caught herself on her forearms, and a shudder ran through her as Joker slid his hands down to her thighs, where he then proceeded to part them, and a shiver ran through her as he slid his hands back up, lightly brushing his fingertips over her exposed cheeks.

"I don't know if you're _brave_, Kitty-Kat," Joker started, his voice low and just a small hint away from sounding completely demonic. "Or just _stupid_."

Kat swallowed nervously, completely thrown off by that comment, but regardless butterflies started up in the pit of her stomach when she felt Joker place his hand on her lower back, and she sucked in a breath of anticipation, bracing herself. Joker's hand flew through the air until it collided roughly against Kat, the loud slapping noise echoing throughout the room as Kat let out a loud breath. She squealed out the second time, gripping the sheets tightly as she bit down on her bottom lip. But as Joker continued, truly mesmerized by his action, Kat's jaw came completely unhinged, the pain starting to get unbearable. But just as it started to hurt the most, Joker roughly pushed her further onto the bed, leaving Kat to quickly turn around just as Joker had climbed onto it himself. He pinned her down by her wrists, that lustful feeling quickly spreading through him as he stared into her pained eyes, and he couldn't help but to lean down and roughly bring back that kiss.

Kat moaned quietly against him, desperate to reach out and take off his vest and shirt, but Joker squeezed on her wrists harder, emitting a large sigh from Kat as he trailed his tongue against her jaw until he bit down firmly on her neck. Kat let out a pained groan, but the second Joker had let go of her wrists her hands immediately flew to his vest, and she began to unbutton it while Joker hands grabbed the bottom of her shirt. He let go of her neck and leaned up slightly to slide off her shirt and bra from her body, and he tossed them carelessly behind him before he leaned down for another kiss.

Kat had just slid off his vest, and her eyes snapped open when she felt Joker lean up again suddenly, and she watched as he quickly removed his shirt himself. She grinned up at him as she placed her hands on his shoulders, pulling him down while his hands traveled down her sides, and she lifted her hips up to aid him with sliding off her underwear.

Joker's tongue plummeted into her mouth as he rested his hands on her hips, and without warning he quickly pushed himself inside her, going in as far as he could, smirking when Kat let out the loudest moan yet. He hovered over her, staring down at her face as he started a slow, teasing rhythm with his hips, watching as Kat closed her eyes tightly all while biting her bottom lip

"You gonna scream for me?" He asked, his voice deep and raspy, and his grin expanded when Kat let out a soft sigh, his voice sending a wave of goosebumps over her body.

"No," Kat answered lowly, and Joker let out a small, breathless laugh, knowing this was a lie. The moment he swung his hips into a faster rhythm, Kat's panting turned into loud moans, and she dug her nails into Joker's shoulders at the intense pleasure that coursed throughout her.

Being already so close to finishing, Joker remained in their position as he continued to pound into her. Kat was busy enjoying the continuous sensation, feeling herself getting closer and closer as the minutes passed on, until she let out a loud gasp when she felt Joker place his thumb directly onto her most sensitive area. She let out a loud moan as Joker rubbed his thumb in small, quick circles over her clit, until finally that rush of intense pleasure crashed onto Kat, and she moaned out loudly, practically screaming as the warming sensation flowed throughout her.

Joker wasn't far behind, and just as Kat's shouts had died down Joker tilted his head back with a loud groan as he released himself into her, and he slid his hands back onto her hips, digging into the skin with his fingertips until he finally pulled out of her. Kat expected him to stand up to start getting dressed, but instead he let his body fall down next to hers, and he rested his head comfortably on his pillow as he glanced over at the time. Seven thirty was a bit too early for him to turn in for the night, especially seeing as how the sun had just gone down, but a sleepy feeling had already fallen over Kat, leaving her to sigh contently as she scooted up to rest her head on the pillow next to Joker, and she turned her body to face him after she had so bravely gotten under his blankets.

Joker watched her, his eyebrow cocked, and he wondered what possessed her to do the things that she did around him. Kat seemed to be the only girl, the only _person_ for that matter, who would ever disregard Joker's terrifying demeanor and do what she wanted, which in this case was making herself comfortable to sleep in _his_ bed. But Joker's calm mood kept him to remain in his spot as he laid staring at her, and a grin slowly crept onto his face.

"You're not afraid of me, are you?" He asked, his question causing Kat to open her eyes and narrow them on his. His question was random, and Kat was a little lost as to why he hadn't decided to leave, but nonetheless she open her mouth to answer back with a question of her own.

"Afraid of you? Why would I be afraid of you?" Her eyebrows met in the middle as she continued to stare at him, and Joker couldn't help but let out a slight laugh.

"Why _wouldn't_ you be?" He asked back with another question.

"Because you don't..." Kat paused suddenly, wondering if she should re-word her answer, but she was quick to decide there was no point, and she let her eyes slide closed as she took in a small breath. "...give me a reason to be..."

Joker watched as she yawned, and as she turned around to put her back to him the movements caused Joker's body to bounce up and down slightly from where he lay next to her. With glazed, narrowed eyes, he glared at the back of her head, her answer repeating itself over and over again in his head. He gave her no reason to be afraid? How could he have slipped so far from his original goal? How had such intense, lustful feelings caused him to veer so far away from his usual demeanor towards his kidnapped victims, and why did those feelings always creep up on him with Kat anyway?

He remained staring at her for another moment, lost in his own thoughts until he suddenly rose from the bed, and he was quick to dress back into his pants and shirt, this time leaving off the vest, and Kat listened as he abruptly left the room, slightly slamming the door behind him.

a/n: loving all the reviews guys, thanks! keep it up if you want zee next chapter!


	13. Lost Everything I've Known

With the next couple of a days, it seemed as though an odd sort of awkward energy had fallen over Joker and Kat, leaving their once confusing relationship to fall even more below the line. Right when Kat had started to accept what she and Joker did, and once she began to realize that perhaps she wasn't going die after all, Joker was right there with a new distasteful mood towards her, leaving Kat to backtrack and suddenly be unsure of everything once again.

It all started the night after Kat had gone to the mall. After Joker had abruptly left the bedroom, Kat drifted in and out of sleep, and every time she woke up she found the bed next to her to be empty, each time telling herself that he'd be coming upstairs any minute, though she couldn't figure out why she cared so much. But when she woke up around six that next morning, feeling fully rested and wide awake, Joker's dark room remained empty, and with a sigh Kat took her time getting dressed in a pair of her old plaid pajama pants she found thrown on the floor along with the shirt she had worn the day before.

She had ventured downstairs, finding it odd to be awake so early, and she was busy wondering what time everyone usually got up when she noticed on the direct opposite side of the house from her the front door was wide open, leaving the screen door to be shut. As she reached the bottom of the stairs she stared at the sky through it, noticing how pretty the lightly swaying trees looked in front of the sun that was slowly rising behind them, blanketing the sky in hues of pinks of golds, until finally she reverted her gaze downward where she found Joker sitting on the porch, his back to her while he smoked a cigarette. He wore the same shirt he had the day before, minus the vest, and he rested his arm loosely on his propped up knee, the cigarette burning away as he held it between his two fingers. Kat continued to watch with furrowed eyebrows as he brought it to his lips to take a drag, releasing a thin stream a smoke into the morning air, before she finally disappeared into the kitchen.

Her stomach grumbled loudly, causing Kat to shake her head at herself as she opened up the fridge to find something to eat. She rummaged through the fridge, finding nothing but old, leftover food until she opened up a drawer, and she paused, her stomach giving a jolt of joy as she pulled out a package of fresh, unopened bacon. The choice of what to have for breakfast clear, Kat closed the fridge and set the package down before she went through the kitchen, trying to figure out where all the pots and pans were located. Once she had found them in a drawer under the stove, she was joyed to see they were actually clean, and she immediately set a pan on the stove.

All while cooking her breakfast of bacon, and after she had placed a few pieces of bread in the toaster, she leaned against the counter by the stove as she watched the bacon sizzle and crackle in the greasy pan as her mind wandered away to think of the day before. While she had gotten partly what she had been after, her plan of dominating hadn't exactly worked the way she had wanted, and as she recalled further, the sex had seemed much different as well. It seemed almost angry, and the whole time she had been anticipating for Joker to suddenly hurt her. She had been ridiculously thrown off when he didn't up and leave right away, but his question had been odd, and Kat was certain she gave him the wrong answer.

The toast popping up in the toaster snapped Kat away from her thoughts and she plucked them out of the toaster before placing them on a plate. After buttering them, she removed her big pan of bacon from the hot stove and immediately started to place them, one by one, on her plate, until the noise of the screen door squeaking open caused her to turn her head swiftly over to the arch of the kitchen, and she wondered frantically what sort of mood Joker was going to be in. She glanced back at the pan, noticing finally the great abundance in bacon she had made, and she figured offering Joker some would serve as a sort of peace offering.

The smell of freshly cooked bacon was quick to hit Joker's senses the moment he stepped foot in the house and his stomach gave a violent rumble. He furrowed his painted eyebrows as he advanced towards the kitchen, assuming that Kat was the mastermind behind the mouthwatering smell, but he couldn't help but sigh to himself once he appeared in the arch of the kitchen, regardless of knowing it would be her anyway. Out of what could only be described as a habit at this point, Joker's eyes roamed down her body quickly before he stared at the profile of her face. Sensing she had company, Kat glanced over at him.

"Hey," she said, her voice low, laced with sleepiness. Joker didn't reply and instead focused on holding back the yawn that so desperately wanted to escape from him, and he continued to stare at her with his heavy, tired eyes. "Do you... do you want some of this?" She then proceeded to ask as she continued to stare at him, and she was left to wonder if he had gone to sleep at all last night. His greasepaint was still on, though it seemed faded and smeared to high hell, and his clothes looked wrinkled and worn.

Joker's stomach gave another strong but quiet growl as his eyes dropped down to her plate of toast and bacon, and he had to admit to himself it looked ridiculously appetizing. But after Kat's soul-shattering confession, the last thing Joker wanted to do at this point was sit at the table with her and make nice as they enjoyed breakfast together. In fact, the thought caused Joker's stomach to churn slightly as he tried desperately to erase the image from his head.

Without a word Joker stepped forward to snatch three pieces of bacon from Kat's plate, and he turned around to head out of the kitchen. Kat watched, feeling defeated and even _slightly_ upset as he climbed the stairs, taking two at a time, before he disappeared into his room, the jingle from his doorknob as he locked the door only intensifying the odd feeling Kat felt over his grave silent treatment.

That had been Kat's new way of life ever since that morning. She had spent the following two nights in her own room, deciding it was best at this point to just give Joker space. But even with doing so, she constantly caught him glaring at her, and when she would stare back he'd merely sigh, or growl, and look away or leave the room. As the days went on, however, Kat felt herself getting closer and closer to the edge over Joker's new and random attitude. If Joker refused to deal with _her_ bad moods then Kat would most certainly not put up with his.

Many sleepless nights had been quick to take a toll on Joker's body. He felt lazy and weak, but this didn't stop him from carrying out all the scheming and actions of the day he had to do, but he was forced to do them with a distracted mind. The only topic his mind would allow him to think about clearly was Kat. He would sit in his office or lay in his bedroom at night, regretting nearly every single thing he had done with her. His behavior was sickening, but for some reason or another, he never did anything to correct it. Instead he found himself thinking about _how_ he could correct it, how he could gain back the upper hand and start using Kat for what he wanted in the first place. But he either discarded his plans or never acted out on them, which in turn lead him to just carry out his day and ignore her.

But what confused and even possibly scared him the most was how easy it was for him not to do anything for the awkward situation. He could so easily go push her around and tell her what was what, or even flat out kill her, but the thoughts and images of the act never brought him any justice, and he was left to figure out why. He just didn't want to kill her, at least not yet, and at this point abuse and having her live in deep and consistent fright of him just wasn't satisfying enough.

Perhaps it wasn't an issue of fear, more so it was an issue of respect. Since the night he took her all the way until now, nearly a month later, Kat had never shown the respect he so deeply and rightfully deserved. Kat had told him he gave her no reason to be afraid, and finally, on that cold, dark Gotham night as Joker prowled along the streets, he realized that was where all the problems began, and where they would all end. Kat just didn't seem to understand how lucky she was or see the light in her deadly situation. While Joker could care less about the reputation Gotham had given him, he still lived up to it, thus making him a heartless, vulgar, and above all terrifying king of hard-core, unmerciful crime. All those sleepless nights of thinking about the situation over and over always lead him to this solution. Kat didn't realize how truly dangerous he was or what he was capable of, so he was going to show her, first hand, and finally gain the respect she so desperately had to show him.

The night sky up above threatened rain as Joker leaned against the cool brick walls in the deep alleyway. The streets of downtown Gotham were barren, leaving the area around Joker, Rocco and Henshaw to remain deathly silent. With a small scowl Joker took out his cell phone and glanced at the time before putting back into his black jacket pocket. Any minute now Miss Cassandra Ruth would be making her way past that very alley on her short walk home. As Joker waited he couldn't help but realize how ridiculously familiar this scene was, and he couldn't help but slightly grin to himself as he recalled how he had waited nearly an hour and a half for Kat to walk past...

The sudden noise of high-heels clicking against the sidewalk caused Joker to quickly snap out of his daze, and he turned to face the opening of the alley while Rocco and Henshaw held their breaths as they remained by the black Suburban, camouflaged in darkness and shadows. Rain started to sprinkle from the sky as Cassandra neared the alley, her gazed focused on the sidewalk in front of her as she thought of how she was going to pitch her ideas to her clients the following day. Joker slowly slid closer to the mouth of the narrow alley, and just as Cassandra had started past, so entranced by her worries she failed to be alert to anything around her, Joker quickly reached out to squeeze his fingers around her arms. A burst of lightening lit up the sky, and just as Cassandra started to scream Joker slapped his gloved hand against her mouth before he started to drag her backwards. The last thing in Cassandra's line of vision had been a quick glance of Joker's demonic, painted face, and her heart begin to immediately race as she was dragged into darkness.

She let out a pained grunt as Joker slammed her roughly against the wall, and the sound of her small frame colliding with the bricks sent a jolt of excitement through Joker; it felt as though he hadn't been this rough in months. He pushed down on her shoulders as he held her in the place, and he found himself to actually be enjoying her high-pitched squeals and panting as she stared at him through the darkness.

"Evening, Miss _Ruth_," Joker breathed, his lips just inches from her own. Cassandra tried to let out another scream, but Joker was quick to clap his hand over her mouth again, shielding the noise. "Ah, ah! Let's not do anything _stupid_ now..." he trailed off. Keeping his hand covering her mouth, he used his free hand to start unbuttoning her long, black coat, and once all the buttons had been undone he took note of how hard she was breathing, and he grinned to himself as his eyes slid up her body back to her face. "You see Cassandra, I'm trying to do a little... _experiment _of sorts at home, but in order for me to do it I need a, uh- _lab rat_. Guess where you come in?" His tone changed from casual to distastefully dark in such an instant it left Cassandra to close her eyes tightly as she turned her head away from him. Joker let out a small breathless laugh as he placed both his hands on her upper arms before he pulled her away from the wall, and he shoved her in Rocco and Henshaw's direction. "You know the drill," Joker started with a sigh as he started past them. Cassandra watched as Joker climbed into the black SUV before her vision suddenly went black...

–

While in the middle of laying in her bed and staring at the floor through the dark, Kat's random thoughts were interpreted by the sound of the front door slamming shut, followed by the shuffling of footsteps and muffled voices. All night the house had been deathly silent, and the sudden burst of noise had been rather startling, but it was enough of a distraction from trying to fall asleep for Kat to get out of her bed and venture to her door. She quietly inched it open and peered past the railing in front of her to watch as Joker made his way into the kitchen, and her eyebrows met in the middle when she heard what sounded like a female voice. Her curiosity too great to ignore, Kat stepped out of her room and headed downstairs to bravely confront the Joker.

Stepping through the arch she found Joker at the sink downing a glass of water. His black pants, white shirt, and black trench coat wore spots of rain while some of his greasepaint had run down his face, leaving thin strips of his skin to show through. From the corner of his eye he had noticed Kat appear in the room, but he didn't bother to look at her. He already knew that when Kat wore pajamas it most likely meant she was wearing no underwear underneath, and he did not want to think about this, especially at that moment.

After a short moment of building up the courage, Kat cleared her throat gently before speaking. "What was that noise?" It was so odd talking, she felt as though she hadn't used her voice in ages, but Joker remained silent as he finished the last bit of water in his glass. It was expected that Joker wouldn't answer her, he had practically been ignoring her for the past couple of days, but Kat decided she wasn't having it anymore. She sighed out as she shifted all her weight to her left foot, and she crossed her arms as she glared at the side of his face.

Joker took the glass from his lips and placed it on the counter before he turned to look at Kat. "What noise?" He asked back in a low, grave voice.

Kat's frown deepened. "You _know_ what noise. I heard the door slam and then some chick..." Kat paused when Joker let out a slight chuckle. She continued to stare at him for a moment longer until finally she rolled her eyes. "Whatever," she said, her tone slightly lower. "I knew you wouldn't tell me anyway." She turned around, feeling more frustrated then ever as she wondered how she was going to fall asleep with this mood now.

"Don't even start with your attitude, Kitty-Kat," Joker warned as he glared at the back of her head, but Kat ignored his comment, and she held up the back of her hand to him as she advanced towards the stairs, her way of saying 'yeah, whatever' silently. All too quickly, however, Joker had caught up with her, and she let out a small yelp as he grabbed her upper arms, and he slammed her against the wall that separated the kitchen from the rest of the house.

"I mean it," he growled, his face mere inches from hers, and Kat stared into his dark, angry eyes. "There's something I'd like to, uh... _show_ you, downstairs?" Joker partially asked, his tone somewhat lighter and more casual, but the evil look in his eye loudly expressed to Kat his mood had gone unchanged, and her heart began to pound faster in anticipation as she wondered desperately what was down there...

Joker was still staring at her as if waiting for an answer, and finally Kat slowly nodded her head, for the first time in a while exhibiting that fear that Joker had always been so desperate to see. She couldn't help but to swallow the lump that had risen in her throat, and her breath hitched in her throat when Joker let his gloved fingertips travel gently down her arms, a fit of goosebumps erupting on the them.

"Good," he said, his voice a low, even tone. He grabbed her wrist, and he held it behind him as he tugged Kat away from the wall, forcing her to follow him downstairs. With each step down the stairs Kat couldn't help but to grow more and more nervous. Was this it for her? Was Joker finally going to kill her? The thought only worsened her anxiety over the subject, and by the time she reached the bottom of the stairs she felt as though she couldn't breathe.

All four of Joker's thugs were sitting downstairs in their normal spots, Bozo on the torn lounge chair, Rocco and Henshaw on either side of the long couch while Bacardi sat on the floor, leaning against the two-seated couch. Upon the noise of somebody entering the basement, they all turned their heads in unison towards the square arch, and they watched as Joker made a beeline past the couches, tugging a very worried looking Kat behind him.

"Go upstairs," Joker commanded simply, and without hesitation the thugs stood up to exit the basement, keeping their questions to themselves. Bozo smirked at Kat before he followed the gang up the stairs, immediately asking Rocco and Henshaw what was going on and who the girl tied up in the other room was.

Kat swallowed as she was forced to stop behind Joker, and she watched as he turned the handle of the old, wooden door in front of them before he kicked it open with his foot, and he pushed Kat inside. Nearly tripping over her own feet, Kat quickly caught herself as she tried to ignore the dizzy sensation that had come over her, and she took a step back towards the door, only to jump when Joker slammed it shut before locking it. The room was pitch black, and Kat's body tensed as she waited for Joker to lash out at her, but she grew slightly confused when she heard him walking further into the room, his footsteps loud on what sounded like the concrete floor, but her confusion grew deeper when she heard what sounded like nervous, tiny whimpers from a female voice.

Kat squinted her eyes, trying to see through the darkness so she could see who else was in the room with them, but her stomach dropped when a very dim light across the room was clicked on. Kat jumped slightly, her eyes instantly adjusting to the dim, orange light, and her eyebrows furrowed when she saw some blonde girl, bound and gagged in a chair sitting directly in the middle of the room. Kat sucked in a nervous breath as she looked up to Joker, but her attention was caught by the utter vulgarity of the room that seemed to have come straight from a gritty horror movie. The concrete walls and floors were stained with what looked like blood, while a long counter stretched against the length of the wall in front of her, or directly across from the door, and was cluttered with various old items. Finally Kat's eyes fell onto Joker just as he turned away from the counter, and her heart gave a violent jerk as he flicked out his knife. Kat's draw dropped slightly as he stepped over to the girl who sat in the chair, and Kat instinctively took a step back towards the wall a few feet from the door.

"This is Cassandra Ruth," Joker explained as he slid the knife under her blindfold, and Cassandra let out a small whimper as Joker slid his blade through the thin material. The blindfold fell onto her lap, leaving Cassandra to quickly glance around her surroundings. "And for our little example she is going to represent _you_." Joker finally looked over to Kat, taking in the way she stared practically horrified at him. Kat trembled slightly with confusion as she looked back down to Cassandra's wide and terrified eyes as she glared desperately back at Kat. Kat's lips parted as she looked back up to Joker.

"E-example?" She repeated, that dizzy feeling intensifying with every nod Joker took.

"Yup," he answered. "You see Kat, I don't think you understand how truly... _fortunate _your _unique_ situation is here." He watched as Kat's eyes narrowed in further confusion, and he licked his lips quickly before going on. "You don't understand nearly _half_ of what I'm capable of. All those articles you read at the hotel? They weren't _lying_, Kat. They were all _true_."

Kat opened her mouth to talk, but no words came as her gaze dropped back down to Cassandra's, and she took another step back until her back hit the cold, dirty wall. Joker was still staring intently at her, looking directly into her eyes through the dim light, until finally he dropped his own gaze down to Cassandra's face.

"So," he started now at a higher tone as he placed his free hand on top of Cassandra's head. "Pretend this right here is you. Bitchy, bad-tempered, little _you_." He ran his fingers down her face, his index and middle finger running over Cassandra's eyes with great pressure, and the leather smeared her make-up down before he let his hand fall to his side. "Tell me how you'd be feeling right now if _you_ were tied up and helpless in this chair." Joker glanced over at Kat, who still stood leaned against the wall, her arms crossed as she trembled slightly. It was a side of Kat he had never truly seen, and although left over anger from the past few days ran through him, he couldn't help but to slightly enjoy the way Kat openly gawked as she looked from Cassandra then to him.

"Just what I thought," Joker spoke up suddenly in a slightly louder voice. "_Speechless_. This time I want a verbal answer, Kitty-Kat. How would you feel if I started to do _this_." Joker glanced down casually to Cassandra again, and she flinched as he held his knife to the top of her white blouse, and he slid the blade easily through the fabric all the way down to her stomach, where he then proceeded to part the thin material on either side to expose her plain, white bra. He looked back over to Kat expectantly with raised eyebrows.

She sucked in her lips with a nervous swallow as her eyes traveled back up to Jokers. Cassandra was whimpering to herself as she kept her eyes closed, her heart pounding so hard she was sure it was going to burst through her chest and fall to the floor with a splat. Joker remained glaring at Kat, waiting for her to answer, and in an effort to keep himself patient he glanced back down to Cassandra as he slid his knife under the strap of her bra.

"Any day now," Joker pushed on, lifting the knife up to allow it to tear through the strap. Kat's mind started to fog as she wondered desperately how much further Joker was going to go with this, but no matter how sick her nervous thoughts got she willed herself not to cry, though at this point it seemed nearly inevitable. Seeing Joker kill that police officer had been starling to say the least, but to actually witness him violate some innocent person he picked up from streets, Kat couldn't help but to swallow her pride and let a single tear slide down her cheek.

"V-violated...?" Kat answered in the near form of a question.

"I'd imagine so," Joker said solemnly with a shrug. "So, that being said," he continued on, looking down at Cassandra as he stepped behind her. "What about this?" In a sudden fit of rage he grabbed Cassandra's hair and yanked her head back violently, and she let out a small, muffled scream from behind the rag in her mouth as she squeezed her eyes shut even tighter. More tears threatened to fall from Kat's eyes as she watched him place his knife against her throat, but she swallowed them back, though when she spoke her voice cracked harshly.

"No, don't-" she started, her eyes widening. "I-I'm sorry, I get it now-"

"No, I don't think that you do, Kat," Joker spat her name as he glared deeply into her eyes, taking in the way Kat trembled even more now. "This right here is _everybody's_ fate with me. This right here is the_ last_ emotion they ever feel, and I'm always the last thing they see..." he trailed off as he glanced back down to Cassandra, and he tightened his grip on her hair a few times to get her attention. "Open your eyes," he commanded softly, and he waited patiently for Cassandra to slowly open them, and she stared up at him through welled tears.

Kat openly shivered as she watched, anticipating Joker's next move as she tried to think of anything she could say to get him to spare Cassandra's life. Kat didn't know her, and she knew she'd never care to, but she was not prepared to watch her die, and she was especially not prepared to be in the same room as Joker after he had done the deed. "Joker," she started again, her voice quiet and lower than ever. "I get it..."

Joker looked back up to her, and he flashed her a wide, toothy smile that sent a violent shiver up Kat's spine that caused her to sway slightly and catch her balance. "Some _respect_, Kat, is all I'm looking for here." His tone was even, his voice slightly more light, and this caused some of the weight of heavy energy to be lifted from Kat's shoulders upon the idea of thinking Joker wasn't going to do it. "And in five seconds I'm _sure_ that I'll get it."

Before Kat could comprehend another thought her body jumped and jerked violently when Joker quickly slid his blade deeply across Cassandra's neck. Kat felt her stomach clench as she watched Cassandra gurgle and choke as blood poured from her mouth and throat to create a pool of the crimson liquid under her, and she was so busy watching in her horrified trance she failed to notice Joker step back and take a step closer to her. Finally, as the life drained from her, leaving Cassandra's body to sit lose and limp in the old chair, Kat glanced to her right, only to jump violently again when she finally noticed Joker standing right next to her. He watched as her body shook madly, and his eyes narrowed on her dropped jaw as he listened to her staggered breathing.

"We have an understanding now, _Kitty-Kat?" _He watched as Kat tried to answer, but no words ever came from her mouth. She had not blinked in the past minute, and she resembled something like a fish out of water as she stared directly into his cold, glazed eyes. "Good," he went on now, taking her fish-like demeanor as an answer. "Now go upstairs."

Without missing a beat Kat turned away from him, and with shaking hands she struggled to unlock the door before she threw it open, not even seeing any of her surroundings as she focused hard on getting as far away as possible from the Joker. But as she climbed the stairs her legs grew weaker and weaker, and just as she reached the stairs on the main level of the house her legs finally gave out, forcing her to plop down on the first step. She closed her eyes as she tried to catch her breath, but it felt as though a pair of heavy hands had placed themselves around her neck and had started to squeeze, applying more and more pressure with each breath she tried to take.

From in the living room, Bozo, Bacardi, Henshaw, and even Rocco had been slightly shocked upon Kat's sudden entrance, and they all watched as she sat on the step, her head bowed and her wavy hair blocking her face from view as her shoulders heaved up and down as she tried to breath and forget about what she had just seen. Silently understanding each other without a word, the four thugs stood from the couches to head downstairs, deciding it best to help Joker with the mess. They remained silent as they moved down the stairs, ignoring Joker as he took his time with going up them.

He had only ventured upstairs to collect a few heavy duty garbage bags, but it startled him slightly when Kat fell into his line of sights. He stopped in his tracks and watched her for a moment, noticing how hard and loudly she was breathing, before he pushed himself on towards the kitchen where he proceeded to collect the bags. But once he stepped out of the kitchen he was forced to stare at Kat again, an odd dizzy feeling washing over him. He knew watching Cassandra die would have an effect on Kat, but he didn't think it would take this much of a physical tole. He could only imagine what was running through Kat's mind as he continued to watch the start of a very strong panic attack come about her, but as he was learning, Kat's bad attitude and strong mind could only be bent so far before it snapped in half...

He rolled his eyes up to the ceiling as he listened to Kat continue to try and gasp for air, and he sighed loudly as he gently closed his eyes, hating himself already for what he was about to do.

"Hey," he said now in a gruff voice as he stepped closer to her, but his now known presence to Kat only caused her to tremble more. When she did not budge from her position on the step Joker let the bags fall to the floor as he squatted down in front of her. "Hey," he said again, and he touched his bare hand, his gloves now discarded downstairs, to her chin through her hair and he titled her head up gently. He was surprised to find that her eyes were dry and bare of tears, but he could see the intense fear the brown color in them portrayed. "Stop," he went on now in a stricter voice, and he tilted his head down slightly as he licked his lips slowly. "It wasn't _that_ bad."

Even with a fuzzy mind Kat wanted to protest this, but her body didn't allow her to speak, and she took in a deep breath that seemed to only sting her chest. She flinched as she closed her eyes tightly, leaving Joker to roll his eyes again.

"You're having a panic attack, Ms. I-Act-Like-I-Know-Everything. So get that through your thick skull and you'll be fine." Joker stood to his full height after collecting the bags, but as he took a step away he paused again when he heard Kat start to say something. He glanced over his shoulder at her, waiting, but she ceased what she had started to say and instead only continued to shake. With another large sigh Joker turned around and stepped back over to her, and he proceeded to bend down slightly and grab her arm to hoist her up.

"Go sit on the couch," he told her. "You understand?"

Kat managed to nod her head, and she felt mad tingles erupt from where Joker was holding her arm and travel all throughout her body. Joker let his fingers slide from her skin, and he remained in place, waiting as she traveled towards the living room. A frown had found his face as he watched her back towards the couch before she felt to it with a loud plop, her arms laying loosely on either side of her as she took even deeper breaths now. Unfortunately, Joker was slightly satisfied to see Kat had heard him when he told her what was going on with her, and without a word or a glance back he headed back down the hallway towards the basement to finish with the body.

–

Once Cassandra Ruth's body was properly disposed of in the garbage bags, and after Joker had trusted Bozo and the rest of his thugs to discard of it, he started out of the basement to head upstairs, trying to convince himself it _wasn't_ so he could check on Kat. However, seeing Kat go through what was nearly an immense panic attack had left him feeling rather odd, almost as if he felt bad for her, or something. But with a forced grin he shook the thought out of his head. He had gotten what he had wanted, he had gained that fearsome respect from her and he was finally on the right track. But with all this in mind, he could not figure out why he felt something pull at his heartstrings when his eyes fell onto Kat's perfectly still frame on the couch. He paused just near the kitchen as he gazed at her, quick to notice she was in the exact same position from when he had left her. Her eyes were closed and he had a hard time seeing whether she was breathing or not, but that grin was quick to slide back onto his face.

"Hey," he said loudly at her, and he watched as Kat's body jumped slightly as her eyes popped open. "You alive over there?"

A new sort of silence fell on the house as Kat slowly turned her head to look at him with pained eyes, leaving Joker to realize that perhaps that wasn't the best question to ask at a time like this. While it was tempting to backtrack and rephrase, a small growl or irritation over the thought erupted from him as he headed into the kitchen, his question obviously answered by her movement. As he poured himself a small glass of orange juice he heard shuffling on the couch, and he figured it was just Kat changing her position as he took a sip. But as he headed back out towards the living room he glanced over at her as she rounded the couch to head over slowly to the stairs. He took another large sip from the glass and ignored her as he sat down on his end of the couch, deciding it was the perfect night to catch up on his favorite show, but just as he got settled comfortably on the couch he couldn't help but to glance over in Kat's direction. A wide frown met his face as he watched her climb the stairs in a painstakingly slow manner. With her back slightly hunched over, she clutched the railing tightly as she took it one step a time, and her legs shook with each step. He didn't mean to do it, but he watched her go all the way up and he wondered vaguely to himself which bedroom she was about to head into. It was a silly thought, the answer was obvious, but his next action only brought on more confusion to his already scrambled mind.

"'Ay," he cleared his throat loudly, still gazing up at Kat, and he waited patiently as she turned around to look down at him, still clutching the railing for dear life. He couldn't bring himself to say to the words, so instead he tilted his head to the side as he shifted his eyes to the ground slightly, and he jerked a thumb in his bedroom door's direction, implying that she should go in there instead. Kat's lips parted slightly as her stomach dropped six feet below, and another dizzy spell was quick to overcome her as she continued to stare at him. Why did he wanted her to go into his room?

Another nervous energy fell over her as she continued to stare down at him, dumbfounded, but after witnessing what was, at this point, the most gruesome, disgusting, and depressing thing she had ever seen, she was in no mood to protest. She took in as deep as a breath as she could before she headed towards his bedroom, and her heart began to race again as she pushed open the door. The air seemed colder and even more stale than ever as she made her way towards Joker's bed. She stopped mid-step, however, finally realizing how disgusting _she_ felt, and through the darkness she strained her eyes to see the floor as she searched for any of her discarded clothes that still remained on his floor, figuring a change of clothes would help. She was satisfied to find a tank top and pajama pants and she quickly changed into them, but as she climbed into his bed to get in between the cold sheets her body began to shake again as she wondered what Joker was going to do when he came up himself. Kat had a feeling this whole thing had more to do than just "respect", but her fuzzy mind couldn't come up with any other possibility. Joker's action was supposed to make her realize how "lucky" she was to still be alive, but in turn all it had done was frighten her even more and as she closed her eyes she was left to wonder how much more painful and gruesome her own death was going to be.

Downstairs, Joker stared at the TV, the blue light casting bouncing shadows on him and his surroundings, but as he stared at the animated images he wasn't really seeing them or hearing what they were saying. His knee bounced up and down in a very quick manner, and his eyes began to burn due to not blinking over the course of the last few minutes, but he ignored this sensation as his mind raced. He knew something was terribly wrong if his favorite show could not steal his attention from the girl who slept, most likely terrified, in his bedroom, and he was left to recall how Kat had reacted downstairs. He had honestly expected her to just stand in the corner and silently watch without so much as a word, but to hear her beg him not to kill his victim, and to watch her mentally and physically unwind like that? It was bizarre, especially for Kat. Now that Joker thought about it he realized that perhaps the murder of Ms. Ruth hadn't brought on a new found respect, but instead it allowed him to break down Kat's hostile wall and see her for who she really was. And that was what he had wanted all along, wasn't it? To know the _real_ her, past the Queen Bee act she put on everyday. He had gotten his wish, but now as he finally blinked his eyes slowly he wasn't exactly sure if he liked it...

With an annoyed and rather tired sigh he placed his glass on the end table before he lazily turned off the TV, and he ventured towards the stairs in the darkness. All four of his thugs were out on a road trip of sorts to rid of the body, so he knew he was safe to turn in for the night rather early. His bedroom was dark and deathly silent as he stepped in, and he quietly closed his door behind him and locked it. He could just barely hear the staggered breathing from Kat, which told him loud and clear that she was still awake. He headed into his bathroom and snapped on the light, which caused Kat's eyes to quickly pop open and her heart to race again. She squinted her eyes at the bright light, but oddly enough she felt the panic in her decrease slightly as she stared at Joker's back, watching him lean over the sink to wash his face. She surely hadn't expected him to do that, but she still felt scared and nervous as she closed her eyes again.

Once all his face paint was off and after he had dried his face, he discarded his towel to the corner before he turned off the light. He peeled off his shirt as he made his way towards his side of the bed, and after kicking his pants behind him he climbed in next to Kat, keeping his body a respectable distance from her. He closed his eyes as he laid on his back, hoping that sleep would come over him before he could think another thought, but instead his mind was left to revolve around Kat again. It was almost as if he felt bad for her, but he knew this was _not_ the case and this feeling was simply slight confusion, but he'd never be able to explain why he felt the need to explain things to her.

"Kat," he started, his voice low but his tone serious as he opened his eyes, and he turned his head in her direction to stare at her through the darkness. Kat's heart gave a violent lurch as her eyes snapped open again, and her breath hitched slightly upon hearing her name. As the moment ticked on, however, Joker remained silent, leaving Kat to anticipate what he was going to say. "You do understand why I did that, right?"

He didn't expect an answer, but he hadn't expected Kat's silence to leave the question unanswered either. He sighed as he turned onto his side to face her, but Kat remained still next to him, her eyes still open as she stared at the bathroom door through the dark.

Joker wished he hadn't said anything at this point, for he now had no idea what to say next. These stupid impulsive actions were really starting to take a toll on him, but on a more serious note he found himself really disliking Kat's new demeanor towards him. It was bewildering how badly his plan had backfired. This had never happened before...

"You know I'm _not_... going to... _kill_ you, right?" His question came out slightly staggered, and he hated himself for that, but he stayed silent as he waited for answer, and this time he wanted one. Kat's eyebrows met in the middle slightly as a shiver ran through her body, and she couldn't help but hug the blankets closer to herself as she closed her eyes again. Was this a lie? Was he just randomly saying this to torment her even further? While his tone seemed sincere, it seemed as though Kat had seen him in a whole new light, and she had a ridiculously hard time deciphering his question. She figured she'd just answer with the truth anyway.

"No." Her voice was low and barely audible, and her answer took Joker by slight surprise, though he couldn't help but feel slightly discouraged now that he was being forced to explain further.

"Well, I'm not," he went on, and he stopped himself before he could finish his sentence. He figured it was not the time to mention how he had _meant_ to kill her at first, for that would only bring him right back to where he had started. "I uh... didn't think you'd react that way..."

Now Kat's eyes snapped open, her eyebrows meeting in the middle again as her lips parted. She tried to take a deep breath, but she stopped in the middle of it to flinch at the sudden pain it brought on in her chest, but regardless she spoke up anyway, her voice trembling slightly. "Who _wouldn't_ react that way, Joker?"

It was odd hearing her say his name, she rarely ever said it, but he couldn't help but to grin slightly at her comment, a comment that only the old Kat would make. Thankfully her comment allowed for him to take the conversation in a slightly new, lighter direction.

"Well surely somebody as _thick-skinned _as yourself would have been able to handle it," he offered, his tone slightly lighter than before. Kat swallowed back the lump in her throat as she tried to comprehend why he was even talking to her about it in the first place. But as time went on it seemed Joker got further and further away from the murderous mood he had once been in.

"Whatever," came her flat answer, and unknown to Kat Joker's grin widened from behind her. Kat's body was still tense, and she continued to shiver as she slid her eyes closed, but for some reason or another her body relaxed ever so slightly upon realizing that Joker was more than likely being serious about not killing her.

It seemed that now the point of the murder was irrelevant, and while Joker was slightly relived that the short conversation had sort of lightened Kat's attitude towards the whole thing, it still felt as though it wasn't enough. Joker hated himself for it, and he knew he would forever reflect on this moment as the night he failed himself, once and for all, but an invisible force urged him to slide over closer to Kat. Her eyes popped open yet again upon his movement, and her breath hitched in her throat as Joker placed his hand on her slightly exposed hip from the under the comforter. His fingers were rough, though slightly warm, but she still could not help but to recall what terrible act he had committed with that very hand. But her mind went blank as she idly leaned back slightly, half expecting to feel his chest against her back, but she paused when she felt nothing and instead she leaned forward again, half relived and half... disappointed?

She had always been confused over her situation and her and Joker's odd relationship towards each other, but nothing could describe this very moment or what, exactly, had caused it happen. Kat finally closed her eyes again, and for the first time in the past hour and a half she finally took in a deep, full, and calming breath.

i'm sorry for the long wait, college got a little overwhelming for a bit and i go incredibly distracted, haha. the wait for the next chapter should not be as long, and i highly encourage you all to add me as a friend on facebook! (link found by clicking 'homepage' on my profile) i have many pictures of all my characters and i add more and more all the time, so please add me! (after you leave a review, that is ;D )


	14. Deep Inside

It wasn't the conversation that was growing increasingly louder and louder downstairs or the cracks of bright morning light shining through the edges of Joker's window that woke Kat up the next day, but rather it was slight movement that came from behind her and a faint pressure on her stomach. She slowly opened her eyes, and rather than focusing to adjust them to the darkness of the bedroom, all her attention went to focus on where that pressure was coming from. Finally, a burst of realization hit her all at once, and she couldn't help but to hold her breath as she listened to Joker sleeping soundly behind her. From under the blanket Joker's chest was pressed against her back while his arm wrapped itself securely around her stomach, leaving his hand to lay next to her shoulder. The position had been achieved sometime during the middle of the night, and Kat knew it was safe to figure Joker had no idea. But though her heart pounded still with left over, nervous anticipation, Kat couldn't help but let her body relax into his.

But all too quickly, memories of the night before flew to her head, their only job to remind Kat how wrong it was to continue to lay there with the man who she was supposed to have seen in a new light. It seemed so surreal, and as she recalled Cassandra's wide eyes, terrified, muffled screams and whimpers, and Joker's purely evil and heartless demeanor, the more and more the memory seemed fake. Kat had never witnessed anything so dark and terrifying in her life, and she felt positive nothing could ever compare, but yet she couldn't bring herself to leave Joker's room or at least scoot away from him.

She recalled his poor attempt to help her with her panic attack, but she knew the more important issue here was that he _had_ helped. It seemed he had been so focused to scare her, and he had, but what was odd was how he had acted afterward. It seemed as though he felt bad...

A sigh idly left Kat as she finally realized how ridiculous that thought was, but as she thought about it further she couldn't come up with any other explanations for his actions. He had told her to sleep in his room, and not so he could torment her further, but instead so he could assure her that he wasn't going to kill her and so she could relax. But as Kat continued to lay there she had to wonder whether he had been lying or not, and the contemplation over this new found question only caused panic to slowly invade her mind again. Was it stupid to believe him?

But miraculously, almost as if he had sensed this, Kat felt Joker stir slightly behind her. She remained perfectly still as she stared at the wall in front of her through the dark, waiting for Joker to bring his hand to her neck and choke her once he realized the position he had been in, but instead she listened as a large, sleepy yawn escaped from his mouth before his body finally went still. She let out the breath she had been holding as she waited for him to speak, or move, or just flat out get up and leave, but after a few seconds of waiting she figured he had chosen to just go back to sleep.

But unknown to her, Joker lay with his eyes open, and he blinked them rapidly a few times before he focused them on the back of Kat's head. He was perfectly aware of their position, and though his mind barked at him to retreat away from her, his body did not comply, and instead he kept his arm firmly in place. He debated with himself over falling back asleep, his groggy mind trying to figure out what time it could possibly be, but he didn't move in slight fear of waking up Kat and having _her_ realize how rather... _comfortable _he had gotten sometime during the night. What was terrible, however, was how comfortable he actually really was. Kat's warm and curved body fit perfectly against his, and he'd be lying if he said he didn't like the way her ass was pressed against him. Her hair fell in messy waves behind her on the pillow, leaving Joker to breathe in the scent of her vanilla shampoo as he was forced to realize all this. But just as he had decided to go back to sleep, and accepted to himself this was all just an act to ease Kat out of her fear from last night, another large yawn randomly escaped from his mouth, the large sigh being Kat's excuse to finally start to turn over to face him. _Fuck_.

Joker was scowling as he stared back at Kat once she had turned on her back, and despite her racing heart a small and sly grin met her lips, which honestly threw Joker off. He raised an eyebrow at her as he continued to look into her eyes, until finally _another_ yawn had started to surface. He closed his eyes and this time raised both his arms towards the ceiling in a large, reliving stretch, happy for the excuse to finally abandon his rather embarrassing and weak position, and once the bear-like yawn was over he folded his hands on his chest and loosely rolled his head to the side to look at her again.

"Morning."

His voice was low, gruff, and slightly raspy, and a random shock running up Kat's spine rendered her speechless for a moment. "Morning," she finally replied, her own voice low but smooth. They continued to stare at each other as the awkward silence ticked on, leaving Kat desperate to say something while Joker merely waited for her to speak up first. But as Kat swallowed somewhat nervously, he realized that _he_ was going to have to be the first to speak up, and his private thought left him to randomly roll his eyes as he looked back up to the ceiling, closing them after.

"How'd you sleep?"

Perhaps this wasn't the best question to ask, seeing as how he now knew that Kat had been perfectly aware of how closely he had held her last night. But it was the first thing that came to mind, and Joker decided to just leave the question in the open instead of backtracking it. Kat was quiet next to him, but once he rolled his head to the side to look at her again did she finally answer.

"Fine," she answered, not ready to admit that for the first time in a long time she had slept perfectly soundly, like a baby. She was positive those were not the words Joker wanted to hear that particular morning, and she was quick to recall what had happened last time she had told him the wrong thing. "You?"

"Fine," Joker repeated, and he looked back to the ceiling, narrowing his eyes on an area that resembled the shape of a wolf. Another awkward silence descended on the two, the lack of noise nearly deafening to Joker. He remained staring at the wolf on the ceiling, his mind racing, until finally the silence and lack of what was once normal got to him all at once and with a large, semi-annoyed sigh he glanced back over to Kat.

"Are you okay?"

Kat had been staring at his closed bedroom door until his question took her by great surprise, and she quickly looked back over to him, her eyes wide with confusion and another emotion Joker couldn't quite make out. Her plump lips parted as she searched for an answer, any answer at this point, but it seemed her mind had hazed up due to his rather, somewhat caring question.

"Y-yeah," she finally answered. "Well, I mean... I think so..." She immediately regretted her backtracking, and she was quick to notice Joker's eyes narrow and his plain, paint-less eyebrows furrow slightly. Her heart began to race again as she told herself over and over how she had given him the wrong answer, _again_, but as the silence went on she abandoned this thought all together as she watched Joker open his mouth to speak. No words had come out however, only a small sigh, and another shock ran up her spine as she wondered wildly to herself if he was about to apologize.

This was not the case, however. Joker felt _slightly_ bad for Kat's reaction, but he wasn't sorry, and he most certainly was not about to apologize. "Well, did you get over your little panic attack?" He raised an eyebrow as he waited for an answer, and once Kat had slowly nodded he went on. "_Aaand_, you _do_ believe what I told you last night, yes?" He watched as Kat's eyebrows furrowed in thought as she thought back to what he had said, but once a small look of realization had hit her, she slowly nodded her head, though Joker could still see a slight doubtful look in her eyes. "Then you're fine."

Kat watched as he closed his eyes and roll his head away from her on the pillow towards the ceiling again, and she waited for him to get out of bed and leave, just like he always did. But he never stirred, and he showed no sign of getting up as he continued to lay next to her. Kat's racing heart had finally started to slow down, and she took a deep breath as she turned on her side to face him. An important question had popped into her mind, and she debated with herself on whether or not to ask it, fearful that it would only set him off. But before she could tell herself no once and for all, her mouth was already opening.

"Why?"

Joker looked back over to her again with an arched eyebrow, and he stared down at her face as she looked back up to him, an innocent and slightly fearful expression on it as she hugged the comforter up to her chin. His own lips parted slightly as he remained staring at her, but he was quick to lick his lips and blink rapidly as if erasing the image from his mind.

"Why what?"

"Why aren't you going to?" It was awful brave of Kat to ask this question, but she found herself truly curious and desperate for an answer. After seeing what had happened downstairs and recalling all those articles, it seemed ridiculously unlikely that he would spare _her_ of all people.

Joker remained staring at her with a scowl. _Of course she'd ask that..._But a small, unwanted smirk met his lips a second later. "I don't know," he finally answered the truth with a sigh, finding it odd how easily the truth had just come out. But before he could stop himself, more of the truth came spilling from his mouth. "Because something about you is revoltingly addictive," he added with a grumble, a wave of dizziness overcoming him quickly as he looked back to the ceiling.

Kat's lips had parted further due to his answer, but a small smile found them a moment later as she thought over his answer. She hadn't expected him to answer so truthfully, or to answer at all for that matter, but his answer had taken her by immense surprise. She wanted to press on for further information, but she knew he was most likely already regretting his answer. But all fearful thoughts aside, she took his answer to heart, exactly what Joker had been hoping she wouldn't do, and her smile widened.

"That sounds pretty risky, given all that you believe in," Kat shot back at him, referring to all of the traits that had come out in the night before: heartless, merciless, and above all, evil. Joker rolled his eyes as he turned his head to look at her again, his eyes droopy and tired.

"I don't know what I believe in anymore, Kitty-Kat," he sighed, his tone that of pure annoyance, and he _hated_ the way Kat's smile expanded as she looked up at him. Just last night hadn't she been completely _terrified_ of him? _Yes_, Joker thought the answer sourly in his head, so what the hell had he done to change that so quickly? He recalled everything that he had done, and apparently all it took to reverse her feelings had been to offer some sort of help, securely hold her close the entire night, and give her _some_ insight on his disgusting feelings he desperately wished he didn't have. Girls, he knew, were too easy. But sadly, he found himself slightly relieved to know that things were back on track to normalcy. But in an effort to steer her way from his terribly kind words, a bigger smirk met his face as he turned his own body to face hers. "Plus, if it wasn't risky, I wouldn't _enjoy_ it."

His somewhat fearsome words had sent a shiver throughout Kat, and her body tensed once he had scooted down next to her. Her heart raced again as her breath hitched in her throat, but a fit of butterflies were soon to replace her feelings of anxiety as Joker slid his hand onto her hip. Kat's eyes dropped down to his lips, and before she could do anything else Joker closed the distance and firmly pressed his own lips against hers. Kat's body immediately relaxed, though she couldn't help but to still anticipate for him to hurt her. But as the seconds ticked on Kat tried to get the thought out of her head, figuring it was best to just ease out and believe him rather than spend the rest of her days living in constant anxiety and worry. He had said he wasn't going to kill her, and it was obvious now he held some kind of feelings for her, though Kat wasn't exactly sure what. But finally she allowed herself to relax all the way, and she raised her hand to his face as she finally kissed him back.

–

After excusing herself from the awkwardness that had fallen over the two again for a shower, and after she had dried and gotten dressed, Kat exited her room to head downstairs to make a morning cup of tea. Joker's bedroom door was shut again, and just faintly she could hear his shower running from within. A small grin had found her face as she descended the stairs, and she couldn't help but to recall what Joker had said about her. _Because something about you is revoltingly addictive. _Joker's words echoed throughout her mind, and a small shiver traveled up her spine to her sting her neck. What he had said and how he had said it hadn't been all that meaningful, but the underlying message was, and Kat knew this.

But it seemed her finally achieved, good and calmed mood was going to be squandered quickly, for already sitting in the kitchen, enjoying freshly brewed coffee, was Bozo, Bacardi, Rocco and Henshaw. Each thug was looking over a portion of the newspaper, and Kat glared when Bozo and Rocco lowered their portion of the paper to look at her. A grin formed on Bozo's face while Rocco merely rolled his eyes and looked back to what he was reading, and just as Kat had figured she'd be able to make her tea with no interruptions, Bozo was quick to change her hope.

"So," he started cheerfully as he leaned back in his seat. "Since we all don't know what the fuck happened last night... _suddenly_ I'm thinking that Kat does." From where she stood at the counter Kat rolled her eyes as she proceeded with filling her mug with water. Bozo had turned around in his chair now while the rest of the thugs stared at her expectantly, and after putting her mug in the microwave Kat made the mistake of turning around. "So tell us Kat. Who was that chick?"

Kat hated the way she was being forced to remember the more gruesome details of the night, but she sucked in a breath as she opened the cabinet to take out her box of morning tea. She continued to ignore them as she selected a bag at random, but she could still feel all four gazes.

Bozo sighed. "I was _certain _that you'd be going down with that chick, or hell, I was even hoping he'd at least swap the two of 'ya!" The other three joined him in laughter while Kat tried to ignore them further. She remembered Joker's advice he had given her a while ago, so with a firmly closed mouth she turned to the microwave when the loud beeps sounded. "No, Kat seriously," Bozo went on now. Everyone, except for Rocco, was too distracted by waiting for an answer from Kat that they failed to notice the Joker making his way down the stairs. "Who _was_ she?"

"I don't think that's any of your business, Boze," Joker answered with a sigh as he stepped into the crowded kitchen. Silence fell upon the room while everyone glanced over to him. Bacardi and Henshaw looked back to their papers while Kat continued with taking her mug from the microwave, but she was quick to steal another glance at him, taking in his shirtless attire, messy, dripping hair and paint-less face.

"I was just askin'," Bozo went on now, his body still turned in the chair. "That mess was pretty gnarly. What was her name?"

"Her name was..." Joker trailed off as he opened the fridge, and he bent down slightly to pick up the last carton of orange juice. He brought down a glass from the cabinet and set it noisily on the counter, and he kept his hands on the two items as he stared at the cabinet in thought, until finally he brought his head down to uncap the carton of his favorite drink. "Blonde Number One-Nine-Four."

While his answer had completely thrown Kat off and left her to stand there and stare at the profile of his face with furrowed eyebrows, Bozo took his answer in consideration. He stared off for a moment in thought, leaving Bacardi to think about his odd answer as well while Rocco and Henshaw only shook their heads.

"Oh! Damn! There's no _way_ you've killed nearly two hundred blondes! How the _fuck_ do you remember that?"

"It's a talent, I suppose," Joker answered passively as he finally brought the glass up to his lips. Sensing her gaze, he shifted his eyes to the right, and he turned his head towards Kat and flashed her a wide grin that had unknowingly to him made her stomach churn. _Psycho_, Kat thought sourly to herself.

"Alright, so how many brunettes?" Bozo bravely challenged on with a wide grin. Kat's lips parted in disgust as she looked from Bozo then to Joker, who leaned against the counter, his head slightly tilted up in thought.

"Six hundred," he finally answered flatly before taking another sip, which left Bozo's eyes to about pop out of his head.

"No fucking _way_! Really?"

"No," Joker answered blandly as he took the glass from his lips, and he leaned off the counter to head over to the arch, leaving Bozo's question unanswered. As Joker disappeared into his office, Bozo let out a loud, sad sigh before he faced forward in his chair again. Still feeling disgusted and slightly sick now, Kat picked up her mug tea and headed out of the kitchen, deciding that perhaps some TV could help rid her of those disturbing thoughts.

Unfortunately, her plan was quick to backfire once Bozo led the group of morons into the living room a good five minutes after she had settled herself into Joker's normal spot on the couch. A loud sigh erupted from her as Bozo snatched up the remote, and he he started flipping through channels just as he plopped onto the opposite side of the couch. It wasn't long before arguments over what to watch had come about, and in a quick huff of annoyance Kat stood from the couch to head over to the stairs.

But just as she had placed a foot on the first step, she paused in thought, recalling the TV that sat in Joker's office, and she wondered to herself if he'd actually let her watch it. The chances seemed slim, but Kat figured if he had really felt about what he had done, then surely letting her watch TV in there would not prove to be a big deal. She swallowed before she bravely stepped over to his door.

She lifted her fist to knock, but stopped herself quickly as she listened to Joker have some sort of conversation on the phone with somebody. She listened to him talk for a short moment, and she rolled her eyes when the word 'stripper' came up. Figuring the conversation he was having was not terribly important, she bravely lifted her fist again and forced herself to knock three times quietly on the door. The conversation halted, and Kat sucked in a breath as she listened to Joker make his way over to the door. As if in a cliché movie, Joker had thrown open the door and had most likely expected to see once of his thugs there, and once he didn't he dropped his head down to stare at Kat, cocking an eyebrow shortly after.

"Yes?" He asked, his voice laced with slight confusion as he stared into her brown eyes, wide with nervousness. In his ear Joey was _still_ talking, and just before Joker could ask Kat what she wanted, he rolled his eyes as he slouched his back slightly. Kat gasped slightly as Joker grabbed her upper arm, and he quickly pulled her inside his office before closing and locking the door.

"Yes, _Joseph_, I _understand_ that. All I'm saying is there are going to be very important people at that meeting tomorrow, and I can't risk letting information leak out due to your _dumb_ mistake."

Kat watched, feeling more confused than ever as Joker slowly headed back over to his desk. She remained standing in the middle of his room, unable to help but glance over at Joker's large, flat screen TV to her right, but she kept her mouth closed, deciding it would be best to ask him her question until after he was off the phone.

Joker stood directly in front of his large desk as Joey continued to talk, and he idly picked up a pen from the dark wood and began to tap it on the desk. "Joey, all I'm saying is if you allow any of your girls to dance they're just going to end up dead, _that_ _night_." Joker listened as his friend continued to protest, and as his annoyance level increased, the speed in which he tapped the pen did too, until finally he slammed it back onto the desk. "Joey these guys don't _need_ entertainment! They are there to listen to _me_ with no distractions, that's why we're going to _your_ _club_ to do it. Trust me, I would have _loved_ to arrange this meeting at the busiest... oh I don't know... _Red Robin_in town, but I'm _sure_ you understand why I couldn't do that."

A small grin had formed on Kat's face, and she looked down to the floor as Joker shifted his weight, listening further.

"Right, well I'll have to talk to you later, Joseph. _I've got company_," Joker added in a low growl, and before Joey could say another word he hung up the phone and placed it on his desk before turning around. "Kat," he started now as he took a step closer to her. "What do you want?"

He stared at her in a very flat and grave manner, and finally after debating with herself over the issue, Kat sucked in a large breath.

"Can I... watch... TV in here?"

Joker cocked an eyebrow. "In _here_? What's wrong with the living room?" He watched as Kat shifted all her weight to her right in a somewhat nervous manner, but a second later she rolled her eyes before she looked back into his.

"It's full of immaturity," she answered finally in a small voice, and Joker couldn't help but to grin. He continued to stare at as her as he honestly considered her request, debating with whether or not it was that big of a deal. He did have some more work to do in his office, therefor he'd be around to surveillance her and make sure she didn't get into anything that she wasn't supposed to. Deep down he couldn't help but still feel the need to make it up to Kat after what he had forced her to witness, and figured letting her watch TV would be the way to do it, and he'd finally be able to get the issue out of his mind, once and for all.

"Fine," he finally spoke, immediately turning his bare back to her a second later, unaware of the look of pure surprise and happiness that had overcome Kat's once scowling face. Her eyebrows lifted, her eyes widened, and her lips parted as she stared at the back of his head.

"Really?" She went on to ask, just to make sure she had heard him correctly. As Joker rounded his desk he couldn't help but to roll his eyes, and he sat down with a plop in his large, black, swiveling chair, and he was quick to wiggle the mouse of his computer to wake it from its sleeping mode. "Did I stutter?" He asked as he glanced back at her, his eyes narrowed. Kat couldn't help but to roll her eyes, but still, she started towards his couch with a small bounce in her step, honestly happy to finally be able to watch something in comfortable silence.

The minute she sat down on the black couch her body immediately sunk into the comfortable cushions, and she took a minute to just enjoy the sheer soothing affect from the it. Glancing to her right, she noticed the remote on the end table along with another object that looked wildly familiar, and she snatched it and the remote up hungrily. Disregarding the TV for a moment longer, Kat stared down at her small iPod in her hand, and she quickly turned on it, an eyebrow arching when she she noticed it seemed as though Joker had been listening to it. She glanced around, looking for a set of headphones, but her eyes narrowed on a small iPod dock sitting on the shelf just below the TV. It was at the tip of her tongue to ask him about this, but she swallowed the questions back, deciding it best not to push Joker any further, especially after he had so generously allowed her to watch TV in his office.

–

However, the TV had only amused Kat for so long until she finally remembered how greatly she actually disliked watching TV. But for another hour after the first, in which Joker had left his office sometime during it, she had kept with it, deciding watching TV in Joker's office, where she was guaranteed time away from his idiot thugs, was much better than being shut away in her room where her mind could easily roam wild. After glancing down to the neon numbers that shone brightly through the dim room on the small DVD player, Kat sighed and lifted up the remote to turn the TV off. With a flinch she slowly rose from the couch, and once her legs were straight she placed her knuckles on either side of her spine and leaned back in an effort to either crack it or help sooth the pain. Unfortunately, her attempts proved useless, and after haughtily rolling her eyes, she tossed the remote back to the couch, placed her small iPod into her pocket, and she started across Joker's office to the door. She wasn't exactly sure what her next move was, for she hadn't planned or decided what she wanted to do, but she couldn't help but to be relieved to see the thugs were nowhere in sight in the living room, and the kitchen seemed mighty quiet. However, more daunting hours of watching mindless TV seemed far out of the question, so with sigh she quietly stepped into the hallway, gently closing the door behind her, and she decided that perhaps she could paint some more.

But just as she started to round the railing to start up the stairs, she paused once she noticed Joker sitting at the furthest end of the table in the kitchen. His head was bowed as he stared down at a magazine that lay flat on the table in front of him, and through his green hair she could make out the slight scowl and furrowed eyebrows he sported on his paint-less face. One hand held the corner page of the magazine while the other arm was stretched in front of him, and in his hand he held onto a large glass of milk. Kat couldn't help but to make a pure face of disgust as she stared at the white, _disgusting _liquid, and before she could turn to continue up to her room, Joker had glanced up from the gun and ammo magazine, and he cocked an eyebrow.

"Had enough TV?" He asked in that slightly higher pitched, clowny and casual voice. Kat peered over her shoulder as she took her foot away from the first stair and she idly let her hand from from the railing, and she watched as Joker glanced back up at her, waiting patiently for an answer.

"Yes," she answered. "Why?" Now Kat was the one to cock an eyebrow as she fully turned around to face him, and she took a step closer to the arch.

Joker shrugged as he turned the page, and after glancing over the rather long articles the two pages advertised, he turned the page again, pausing to stare at the pictures. "You've been in there for a few hours," he continued on. "And I didn't think _you_ were capable of that much television." He glanced back up at her, and he stared into her eyes momentarily before he glanced back down to the magazine.

A small grin found Kat's face as she desperately wondered why Joker was keeping her around for such a pointless, simple conversation. But nonetheless, she decided to keep with it, knowing this would prove to be a better activity then spending more time alone, even if it was with the Joker. "Yeah, I know," she finally answered, her voice low. "I actually hate TV."

"_Reeeeally_," Joker growled absentmindedly, and he leaned back a little as he turned the page. Kat had opened her mouth and was about to speak further, but she paused as she watched him start to lift the glass of milk towards his mouth. She watched with wide, overly dramatic, horrified eyes as Joker gently tipped the glass to his lips, she she felt her stomach drop slightly as he took a large sip. She continued to watch as he set the glass back down on the table with a small _clank! _and her eyes immediately traveled back to his lips, but a small wave of relief washed upon her when she noticed no remains of milk on his upper lip. If there was anything Kat hated, it was a milk mustache, and she had to admire Joker's careful demeanor of drinking it.

Now, Joker glanced back up at Kat just in enough time to catch the odd expression on her face, a mix of disgust and confusion all in one, but he ignored this as he looked back down to the table to quickly flip through the rest of the magazine. "So, given the amount of _time _you spent in there, I can trust that you didn't _touch _anything, hmm?" As he waited for an answer, he finished flipping through the magazine, and once the back page of the closed booklet had come to view, he brought back the glass of milk to his lips, and as he took another large sip he lifted his eyes to Kat, just in enough time to see that look of disgust painted on her face again. He smirked as he took the glass from his lips. "You don't like _milk_, Kitty-Kat?" He asked, humor in his voice as he cocked an eyebrow at her. "That seems... peculiar, don't 'chya think?"

Kat made a face. "Milk is _disgusting_," she enunciated as she pulled her head back, crossing her arms at the same time, and she continued to frown at the glass before she glanced back at his face. "I hate it."

"_Really_..." Joker contemplated to himself as he continued to stare at Kat. A smirk came to play on his lips, and immediately after he traced the scar on his bottom lip with his tongue, his expression clearly indicating to Kat that an idea had formed in his mind. But just as Kat realized what he was most likely thinking, she felt frozen on the spot with horror as she watched him quickly take another large sip of milk, and when he brought the empty glass down to slam it on the table, she was quick to notice the large, white mustache over his upper lip. "C'mere, Kitty-Kat..."

Her breath hitched in her throat as Joker stood from the table, and her eyes widened as she immediately started to back away. A quick, loud but playful scream erupted from Kat as she turned to run away from him, but naturally, Joker was too quick. In mere seconds he had reached Kat, and from behind the larger couch in the living room he had grabbed her arms, spun her around, and even gone all out to force her on to the floor. Despite the pain from hitting the floor, Kat squirmed and struggled from under him, and Joker watched her for a moment, enjoying himself completely, and once Kat had opened her eyes to stare at him, he quickly leaned down to plant a large, sloppy, and milk-filled kiss on her plump lips.

"_Gross!_" Kat immediately yelled once he had pulled away, and as Joker laughed loudly from atop of her Kat placed her hands on his chest and pushed him off of her. Joker allowed her to do this and continued to laugh as he laid on his back on the floor next to her, and Kat pushed herself up to a sitting position. She immediately ran her arm across her lips, and she felt sick as she stared at the remains of milk on her skin. "That is so _fucking_ disgusting!" She went on to spat as she stood up, but while she felt insanely repulsed by Joker's act, she couldn't help the small grin that came to her lips as she watched Joker finally stand from the floor as he continued to giggle.

"So what _else_ don't you like?" Joker asked as he tried to take control of his sneers, and as he looked down at Kat he vastly enjoyed the large frown on her face, and more so the milk on her arm. It was at the tip of her tongue to answer, but she quickly stopped herself, immediately realizing where he was going with this. She heavily rolled her eyes before she turned around to start up the stairs, and from behind her she could hear Joker start to laugh again.

"You'd better be careful what you tell me, Kitty-Kat," Joker started, and once Kat had reached the landing she turned to glance down at Joker, and a shock ran up her spine when he grinned evilly up at her. "I may just use it against you."

He winked at her, and though a small wave of dizziness had overcome her, she smirked at him. "That's funny," she said in a mocking tone of voice. "I could say the same about you."

While Kat's fiery response had left him feeling both annoyed and humored, he was forced to think back to what he had told her that morning. _Because something about you is revoltingly addictive. _The words made his stomach drop slightly, and for a split second he felt immense regret over sharing what was most likely the most disgusting and heart-filled confession he had ever felt. But just as quickly as he felt regret, the feeling was replaced with relief as he came to realize that there was nobody in the world Kat would ever be able to share that with, thus leaving it forever a secret. Now, it was tempting to run upstairs and find a way to punish her for her cocky response, but instead his grin expanded as he decided to just let it be, for he was also a little thrown off by her comment.

"Touché, Kitty-Kat," Joker said as his grin faded, and he turned to head back into the kitchen. _"Touché."_

**PLEASE READ: First off I'd like to apologize for the long wait (and short chapter...). College has proven itself to be rather time consuming and its forced the story to the back burner, or however the cliche' goes, I don't know. But rest assured that I have NOT abandoned this story or my Joker fics, for that matter. I am going to end this story on a bang, I have big plans for the third part in my Joker/Willow series, and even ideas for 2 new Joker fanfics for sometime in the distant future. Know that I am with my stories for the long haul, but keep in mind that my classes will cause slower updates unfortunately :( (That is, until the Summer! Woo!)  
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**So again, I'm sorry for the wait, but please leave me your thoughts on the chapter, and if you're feeling extra special today, add me on facebook :) the link can be found on my profile, click on 'Homepage'.**

** Hope you enjoyed!  
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	15. Wicked

"But I don't _want_ to go."

The whining tone in which the words spilled from Kat's mouth was the equivalent of long nails running down a chalkboard to Joker, and he fought the urge to hunch his shoulders as the back of his neck stung, and instead he smirked down at Kat's pouting face. He tilted his head to the side slightly, and he let his eyes roam down to the collar of her shirt as he gently placed his gloved hands on her sleeved shoulders.

"We all have to do things we don't _want_, Kitty-Kat," he started as his eyes slid back up to stare into her own, and his smirk expanded into a grin when Kat sighed loudly in annoyance. "What's one, _little _trip to the grocery store?"

Kat rolled her eyes before she glanced back to Joker's evilly painted face, the weight from his hands on her shoulders seeming getting heavier and heavier, and she grabbed the tips of her sleeves from her black, long sleeve shirt as a chill ran up her spine. "It's not going to the store," Kat argued back. "It's who you force to go with me."

Now Joker smiled. "I think you and the boys could use some quality... _bonding_ time!" He said enthusiastically. "Perhaps to get over your... _feud_ of sorts, hmm?"

Kat continued to frown, and with a huff she started to step away from him, but Joker was quick to tighten his grip on her shoulders and hold her in place. "No," she continued to protest. "I hate them."

"Spoken like a true child... Look, listen-" Joker clicked his tongue on the roof his mouth before he proceeded to lick his lips, leaving Kat to continued to glare up at him as she impatiently waited for him to go on. "Go pick up a _few_ items from the store, and when you get back there will be a, uh... _surprise_ waiting for you." Joker raised his eyebrows as he nodded at her, and Kat couldn't help but to arch an eyebrow.

"A surprise?" She repeated. "What is it?"

"Well if I told you it wouldn't be a _surprise_ anymore, would it? Now go." Joker forced her to turn around, and he was even kind enough to give her a small push towards the door. Kat scowled over her shoulder at him, but she couldn't help but to roll her eyes with a small grin as she watched Joker lift his hand to wave at her. Finally she stepped over to the door, and once she had closed it behind her did Joker finally turn to head into his office.

Kat's breath hitched in her throat once she had stepped outside, and her jaw dropped in mild wonder as she watched snow fall faintly from the gray clouds above. A very thin layer of snow had already covered the ground, and immediately shivers started throughout her as she debated with going back inside for some sort of coat. But Rocco blaring the horn from within the white SUV snapped Kat out of her daze, and with a large frown she trudged on through the cold towards the Suburban.

During the ride into town Kat tried desperately to come up with some idea as to what Joker's 'surprise' was. Kat _hated_ surprises, so she knew this topic, depending on Rocco and Henshaw's behavior, would take over her mind and render her unable to comprehend much of anything else. She wondered if it was an actual object, and if so what that object was. Chances were, the present wouldn't prove itself to be that of beauty or importance, and for a second she pictured coming home to widely grinning Joker, who would instantly hand over to her a jar of eyeballs, or even worse, a jar full of teeth.

Her stomach lurched upon this thought and she blinked her eyes rapidly as she tried to erase the image from her mind. On an ending note, as Henshaw pulled into a parking space in front of the grocery store, Kat figured there was no need to anticipate what the surprise was. Chances were it would be nothing more than Joker informing her of something, or more than likely it would just end up being a present to himself. Kat rolled her eyes at this as she pushed open her door, deciding that would most likely be the case.

The twins left Kat to grab a cart, and she walked quickly to catch up with them. Stupidly, Joker hadn't left them with a list this time, which left the brothers the opportunity to grab whatever they deemed necessarily and throw it in the cart, and after a short while Kat mimicked their actions and began to grab things she liked and felt they needed as well.

The first half of the trip went rather smoothly, much to Kat's pleasure, but by the time they had reached the checkout lines did the thugs irritating demeanor start to surface.

"What's with all this _tea_ shit?" Rocco started sourly as he shuffled his hand through the cart, his eyes wandering quickly over all the objects. "Boss' budget doesn't allow for all this _crap_."

With her arms crossed and resting on the handle of the cart, and her foot placed on the bottom platform of the cart, Kat glared intently at the profile of Rocco's face with a large and sour frown, and once Rocco had glanced up at her she cocked her head to the side. "But it allows for ice cream, cookies, and actual processed _shit_?" Kat pondered back with a raised eyebrow. A rush of anger spread through Rocco, and he immediately took a step closer to Kat to point a fat finger in her face.

"You've been awful mouthy lately, _Kat_," he hissed at her. "You'd better fucking watch it."

_Or what_? Kat thought to herself, but she smartly kept this to herself and instead forced herself to turn away from him, just in enough time to catch the couple standing in the line next to them gawking in their direction. With a large sigh Rocco lowered his hand, and as anger continued to pulsate throughout him he shook his head.

"You can finish up here," he said. "We'll be in the car. Hurry up."

"Are you kidding me?" Kat quickly argued back just as the Henshaw started to walk away. Without a word Rocco turned back to her, and he rudely reached out to grab Kat's wrist. With a squeal of offended discomfort Kat tried to pull it away from him, but instead he forced her palm towards the ceiling, and he placed a rather large wad of cash on it. He finally let go, and before Kat could protest further he was already storming away from the lines.

It was at the tip of her tongue to yell a loud '_fuck you!_' at his back, but she quickly decided against this once she realized the people who had been in front of them had finished, and the female cashier was nervously staring at her, completely unsure of what to say. Kat's nostrils flared as she sighed from her nose, and after shoving the bills into the pocket of her gray cargo pants she started to slam down the food items onto the belt. The cashier, whose name tag read 'Tabitha', nervously started the belt and immediately started to scan the items that came her way.

"How are you this afternoon, miss?" She asked as politely as she could, but she was quick to regret her question once Kat glanced up at her with a large scowl.

"Fine." The word was sharp, quick, and even slightly hurtful. Tabitha cleared her throat.

"Did you, um... find everything okay?"

"Yup." Kat continued to place the items quickly on the belt, not giving the cashier the time of day as she angrily reflected back to the situation that had just taken place. If there was ever anyone that Kat would be able to witness being murdered by Joker, it would be Rocco.

Nearly ten to fifteen minutes later, Kat stepped into the cold, outside air, pushing the heavy cart in front of her as she searched for the white Suburban. Without bothering to stop and look, Kat started across the crosswalk, prompting some young guy in a red, Honda CRX to slam on his brakes, and he angrily raised his arms up as he watched her cross. But Kat easily ignored him, and once she spotted the large truck she made a beeline over towards it. Rocco had been _polite _enough to have opened the very back of the truck, and that scowl never disappeared from Kat's face as she unloaded the various bags into the trunk, _alone_, and once the deed was done, she pushed the cart away from the truck across the rest of the parking lot with a huff, and just as it hit the curb with a loud bang Kat got into the truck herself.

–

Fortunately, upon arriving home and storming out of the car and towards the front door through the ever growing amount of snow, Kat found the house to be ridiculously warm, which only gave her more of a reason not to help with bringing in the groceries. Apparently, Rocco and Henshaw had the same attitude, and Kat watched them disgustedly from the area behind the couch for a moment. As Henshaw hugged his large coat to his body and openly shivered, Rocco was busy with closing the front door, and he cursed to himself as he shrugged off his large coat.

Rolling her eyes and crossing her arms over her chest, Kat turned to head into the kitchen, deciding it best not to be around them when there were bags to be brought in. She was in no mood to do anything further with the groceries, especially after having done everything at the store herself. As luck would have it, Joker was in the kitchen, clad in a pair of black slacks and a white tank top, and over the simple ensemble he wore a large, black trench coat. Kat could not help but to eye him quickly before she opened the fridge, which finally prompted Joker to look at her from where he stood in front of the sink. He had just opened his mouth to speak, but he paused instantly once Rocco's barking voice echoed through the house.

"_Kat! You got groceries to bring in_!"

Joker looked from the empty arch then down to Kat, and he watched as she hung her head back, her lips slightly parted as her long, wavy hair swayed behind her, and she slammed the fridge shut before she turned around to cross her arms and lean back on it, a pout on her face. Sensing he was looking at her, she turned her head to the left and glanced up at Joker with a large sigh, and he could easily make out the annoyance in her eyes.

"_Kat!_" Came Rocco's voice again, following by large footsteps. "I said you gotta go-"

Just as Rocco appeared in the arch he had immediately stopped his rant, and he stared at Joker with a dumbfounded expression on his chubby face before he glanced down to a smirking Kat. Rocco swallowed quickly, and figuring Joker would more than likely take his side, he jabbed his finger in Kat's direction.

"Ay, don't act so smug 'cause the boss is standin' there. He wants you to go unload the car!"

"What's with all this '_boss wants'_ stuff?" Joker asked as he squinted his eyes in false confusion, and both Kat and Rocco glanced back over to him. Joker leaned away from the counter, and his gaze bounced back and forth between Kat's eyes and Rocco's, and finally he shrugged his shoulders as he raised up his black, gloved hands slightly. "_I _never said she had to do any of those things. So please, if there's some other guy callin' himself _boss_ around here, 'lemme know so I can take care of it."

Joker raised his eyebrows as if waiting for somebody to reply, but all he received was a small grin from Kat, and a large, annoyed sigh from Rocco as he slapped his hand down onto the old, wooden frame of the arch.

"It's always with _her_ side, isn't it..." Rocco grumbled angrily to himself, and before he could start to walk away Joker was quick to interrupt as he took a step forward and away from the counter.

"It's not about _sides_, Rocco," Joker bargained. "Tonight is all about _class_. So try to show some, hmm?"

Kat's eyebrows met in the middle with slight disarray as she glanced from Rocco to Joker, and she wondered what on Earth he was talking about. But Joker remained staring at Rocco with his painted eyebrows raised, causing the once askew circles to become even more awry ovals, and he cocked his head slightly to the side as he waited for Rocco to tell him he understood. Another large sigh escaping from Rocco caused Kat to look back to him, and she narrowed her eyes in even greater confusion when he looked back to her, that angry face no longer visible.

"_Kat_, in fit of showing some _class_ today..." he started slowly in a _very_ sarcastic tone of voice, more so than she had ever heard anyone use. "Please allow _me_ to _once again_, bring in the _fuckin'_ bags..." Rocco glanced up to Joker with wide eyes, and rather than taking the discussion any further, Joker accepted Rocco's sarcasm and he stepped closer to Kat.

"Right-_o_, Rocc-_o_," he said enthusiastically as he linked his arm around Kat's, and he gently pulled her closer to himself as he locked their limbs together. "Now, if you'd _excuse_ us, _Kathreen_ and I have some discussing to do and some gifts to _exchange_."

Joker's final note had left Rocco, and Kat, slightly off guard, and she cringed upon hearing her full, first name. But she was forced to walk alongside Joker as he headed toward the stairs, and after watching them start up the steps for a moment Rocco finally started towards the front door, and he slapped the back of his brother's head from the couch as he went by, rudely signaling him to follow.

"So, Kat," Joker started casually just as they reached the landing. "With tonight being the _big _meeting and all at Joey's, I've decided that your company would prove to be a rather great asset to our, uh- _operation_."

Kat was listening, but she was too preoccupied with wondering why Joker was in such a great mood that day. But she figured it was best not to question it, for because of his mood she had gotten out of doing anything further with the groceries, and it was always so relieving when Joker was more joyous than normal. Kat felt as though she could finally breathe openly and didn't have to tip-toe around, so with a small smile she glanced up to him just as they had reached his bedroom door.

"So... you want me to go with you?" She slowly asked to clarify, and after Joker had pushed open the door he took his arm from Kat's and stepped to the side, waiting for her to step in before him. With a confused and slightly nervous smile, Kat stepped into his dark and damp bedroom, and she turned around to watch him close and lock the door before turning on the dim light.

"I do," Joker said in an upbeat, but rough voice, and Kat turned again to watch as he headed over to the bed, and upon glancing down she finally noticed a flat, white box sitting on top of the blankets at the foot of it. "So, being that your little _Rambo_ look would only cast you out and distract our guests from the main attraction, I figured that _this-_-" Joker picked up the box from the bed and sat down in its place, and he glanced up to Kat as he held it forward. "-would be better suited."

Kat slowly took the box from him, and after glancing back to Joker, who nodded once at her, signaling that she should open the box, did Kat finally take off the lid, and from inside the lightweight box she stared down at folded, black material. Still slightly confused, Kat finally, gently took hold of the fabric and pulled it out of the box, and she watched a short, black dress unfolded before her eyes. A small grin came to her face as she allowed the white box to fall to the ground, and she took hold of each strap to look at the dress in full view.

Along the low and curved collar sat four, little, black poofs of silky fabric that resembled that of a flower, and inside each sat a sparkling diamond that gleamed in the dim light. Her eyes traveled down the tassel-textured dress all the way to the bottom until they roamed back up, and from behind it she could see Joker watching her.

"Wow," she finally said. "This is- just... wow." She laughed slightly as her grin transformed into a small, toothy smile.

"I figured you'd say that," Joker said as he glanced down, and Kat looked over to him when she heard his socked foot shuffling around on the carpet, and she watched as he kicked over a pair of platform, black stilettos. She watched the shoes land at her feet before she glanced back up to him just in enough time to watch as he leaned back on the bed to rest on his forearms. That same smile never leaving her lips, she looked back to the dress in her hands once more before she finally folded it to place it back in the box.

"So..." she started lowly. "What time are we leaving?"

"Seven," Joker answered, his voice a lower, more serious tone, and Kat leaned up from the box on the floor as Joker stood to his full height from the bed. "And not a second later, yes?"

Kat nodded, and without another word Joker stepped past her and headed towards his door, and just as he had unlocked it and turned the knob Kat spoke up.

"Can I shower? In here?" She clarified her question as she turned to look at Joker.

"Honestly, Kat, I don't even know why you ask anymore," Joker returned as an answer, and with a slightly annoyed, but playful roll of his eyes, he finally stepped onto the landing and closed the door behind him.

–

Figuring that the meeting that was vastly important, and assuming that, for whatever reason, Joker wanted Kat to leave some sort of impression on everyone there, Kat figured that just over five hours of preparation left her adequate time to do so. She took her time in the shower, being careful to shave off every morsel of hair on her body, wash and condition her long locks to perfection, and she spent more time than necessary washing her face. It wasn't that Kat cared about the impression she left on all the random people that would be at the meeting, but instead, for some reason or another, she found herself caring about what Joker thought, and all throughout her shower she tried desperately to figure out why.

Perhaps it was because of the dress he had gone out of his way to get her, which was a rather kind gesture of him to do so. But then again, and more than likely, he probably only obtained the dress in an effort to keep Kat from making _him_ look bad with her normal choice of clothing. But maybe it went deeper than the dress. Maybe it was because of how he had treated her after forcing her to witness that horrific murder, and how he had been acting since. He had _assured _her, twice, that he wasn't going to kill her, and granted all Kat had was his word, it was miraculous that he'd even tell her that after she saw what he had done that poor woman. Kat's circumstances were so foreign and unusual, she felt as though she was living in a never ending nightmare of sorts where every thought that occurred in her head made zero sense.

But Kat had pushed all thoughts aside, and rather than worrying _why_ she was trying to look her best, she just went along and did it. After wrapping herself up in a towel and brushing her hair, she had put it in a bun behind her neck, and then instantly proceeded to make-up, where she lined the top of her eyes thickly with black eyeliner, the bottom lids slightly more lighter, and she piled on mascara, making her long lashes even thicker and longer than before. Clutching her towel now, she stepped back from the mirror to look over her work, and she couldn't help but to frown slightly. She looked odd to herself, seeing as how Kat _never_ wore a whole lot of make-up, but with a sigh she turned towards the bathroom door to unlock it, hoping that once she was dressed her look would come together.

And it had. Now, a good ten minutes later, Kat stood in front of the full length mirror in Joker's bedroom by the door, her eyes wandering all over her body. The dress _was_ stunning, but Kat couldn't help but to slightly scowl over the length, and for a moment or two she stared at her exposed legs, the black dress ending just above her mid-thigh. The wide spaced, fishnet stockings only caused her legs to look even more slender and smooth, and the black stilettos she wore caused her to be around two to three inches taller. She wore black, arm long, tight gloves that ended just past her elbows, and the diamonds on the collar of the dress shone in the dim light, causing her to wonder just how bright they'd be in harsher light.

Bottom line was Kat could barely recognize herself. With her hair pulled back, her entire, dark make-up face being clearly exposed, and the very revealing dress she wore that showed off just about every curve on her body, she nearly felt as though she had to change her name just to fit the different person she was portraying. Biting her lip, she turned to glance at the alarm clock on the end table on Joker's side of the bed, and with a sigh she finally started to open the door. It was currently six fifty seven, and remembering what Joker had said, she forced herself to step onto the landing.

Below, Joker was leaning on the back of the couch as he conversed with his thugs, who were dressed in carefully chosen suits for the occasion, but as Kat slowly descended the stairs she couldn't help but to stare at Joker as she took in his appearance. Taking him in from the bottom up, he wore a pair of black and white, patent, leather shoes, and dark, black slacks her wore rather high up on his hips. Her eyes continuing to slowly roam up, they lingered on the black, pinstripe vest he wore over a white, long sleeved button-up, and all her mind could focus on was noticing how the vest seemed to slim his torso and make his muscular shoulders seemed even more, deliciously broad. His appearance was complete with black, leather gloves he wore on his hands and a single, red rose that stuck out from the pocket above his chest on the left side of the vest.

But as Kat finally reached the bottom of the stairs, Joker couldn't help but to stare right back at her, and he clenched his teeth together from behind his lips in an effort to keep his jaw from openly dropping. His eyes quickly roamed over her face, taking in the dark make-up that lined her brown eyes, before they dropped to stare at the amount of perfect cleavage the dress gave her. Finally, he lowered his gaze to her slender legs, and his tongue idly traced the scar on his bottom lip as he pictured himself ripping those fishnets right from her legs to feel the smooth skin from under, his hands traveling slowly up her legs. But all too quickly, Kat was suddenly standing in front of him, and finally he blinked out of his daze.

"Well, this is new," he commented, referring to Kat's new height as he stared into her eyes, and rather than having to full on tilt his head down, all he had to do was merely glance down slightly with his eyes only. A smirk came to play on Joker's lips as he continued to stare into her eyes while Rocco and the rest of the thugs instantly started for the door. "And you clean up _rather_ nicely."

"Funny," Kat said, a grin expanding her own, plump, slightly reddened lips. "I could say the same about you."

Joker let out a small laugh, a series of "_hmm's" in _a row before he finally picked up his black trench coat that had been draped on the couch, and he linked his arm around Kat's again. "Shall we?"

Kat's grin morphed quickly into a smile and she glanced down to the floor as a series of butterflies started in the pit of her stomach. But she tried to ignore this as she glanced back up to Joker as they started towards the door. "Is there any particular reason we're dressed like something from the 1920's?"

"Nope," Joker replied. "No reason at all."

Fortunately, after the first ten minutes of riding in the back of the freezing black SUV, the truck had started to warm up, and Kat finally stopped her fit of shivers she had been trying to keep under control. Now, she let her hands fall from clutching her arms, and after leaning up slightly to pull down the bottom of her dress, something she had a feeling she'd be doing a lot that night, she placed her hands on her lap and glanced out of the window. Her sudden movement had captured Joker's attention, and from where he sat next to her in the middle seat he glanced over to her, and he let his eyes roam down her body once again. Kat had sensed his gaze, and just before she glanced over to him Joker had placed his elbow on top of the back of the seat, and just as Kat looked to him she felt his gloved fingers on the bun her hair was wrapped into at the back of her neck. In the front, Bozo had started to speak, talking to both Joker and Bacardi, who sat in the passenger seat, but Joker paid no attention to him as his pointer finger found the elastic that kept her hair in place.

"...which _is _the basis of the meeting tonight, right?" Bozo was asking, and he glanced into the rear view mirror to look at Joker, only to quickly revert his eyes back to the road once he observed the way Joker was looking at Kat, and Kat to him.

"_Mhmm,_" Joker answered absentmindedly, though he wasn't exactly sure what Bozo had said. Kat continued to stare at him through the darkness of the car, the brightness of his white face paint only causing the black around his eyes to appear larger and darker, and she tried desperately to find his eyes from within. Joker grinned slightly, and Kat's lips parted as Joker slowly started to pull down the elastic in her hair, his goal to free her luscious locks from the prison they were trapped in. Kat felt slightly dizzy, and she couldn't help but to take in a deep breath of his cologne as she continued to feel his deep and heavy gaze on her. But with the moment catching up on her, Kat figured it would be fun and interesting to use Joker's action to her advantage, and once Joker had completely and easily removed the elastic from her hair she leaned forward to run her own gloved fingers through her still slightly damp locks before she let her hair fall over her shoulders. Joker had been watching the entire time, and Kat watched as he slowly licked his lips.

Bozo's talking had become a series of "_blah, blah, blah's_" as Kat leaned back in her seat to look at Joker, and a small grin tugged on the corners of her own lips. Headlights from a car passing by on the opposite side of the road illuminated the inside of the car momentarily, and for a split second or two she stared into Joker's eyes, noticing how intently they were fixed on hers. His arm still on the seat, he let it drop down lazily to her shoulders, the thick material from his coat somewhat cold, and a shock ran up Kat's spine as she let her eyes drop down to his lips.

Another, heavily filled, anticipating moment lingered on as both of them waited for the other to make the first move that they both so desperately craved for. At this point Joker was beyond caring if his thugs caught him acting in less than a harsh way with Kat, and he figured since he was already so far gone, that he might as well make the most of it and act on his desires as he felt them. And as Kat purposely pouted her lips slightly and raised her eyebrows expectantly, Joker finally leaned down slightly. Kat had leaned her back to meet him in the middle, and a strong shock pulsated through her body once she felt Joker's warm lips _barely_ touch hers. Her heart raced as she found herself desperate for him to deepen the kiss, and she idly placed her hand on his thigh to clutch the somewhat baggy fabric there to show her frustration. Joker smirked against her lips, and before Kat knew it he had suddenly lowered and tilted his head to the side slightly, and she gasped quietly once she felt Joker bite down on her neck. Her eyes closed as she sucked in a sharp breath, and a mix of pain and pleasure flowed throughout her as she tried to pretend Bozo and Bacardi were not sitting in front of her. She clutched the fabric of Joker's pants tighter as he bit down harder, and she bit her lip and flinched slightly as Joker's hand came to grab a tuft of her hair, and he squeezed slightly on it before his tongue came to trace the deep bite marks on her neck in an effort to sooth them.

He was grinning at her once he pulled away, and Kat could feel her face redden as she looked back at him, through the darkness into his eyes, a small smile on her own lips, and finally she forced herself to look away from him and out of the window as she wondered how much of his face paint had rubbed off onto her neck.

Either all too soon or much too later, Kat wasn't sure which, Bozo parked the black SUV behind the white truck Rocco and Henshaw had been driving, and she glanced out of the windows at her familiar surroundings, a feeling of nervousness sweeping over her as she braced herself for another visit inside Joey's _disgusting_ club. She pushed open her door and cautiously stepped out, and she was quick to fix the bottom of her short dress again just as Joker had rounded the truck. He glanced around the deserted and dark streets before smirking at Kat, and he linked his arm through hers once again as they started towards the abandoned building. As they walked, Kat couldn't help but to look around and take in her surroundings as she dealt with the feeling of being closely watched. Glancing behind her, she noticed Rocco and Henshaw were busy staring at the ground while Bozo fixed his tie, and Bacardi was staring dead ahead of him at the approaching doors of the building. With a cocked eyebrow and that feeling of being watched growing stronger and stronger, Kat glanced up to the rooftops high above, until finally Joker was opening the door to the old building to lead her inside.

After passing both of Joey's doormen, Kat couldn't help but to suck in a short, nervous breath as they finally stepped into the main area of the club. The room was dark and dim, and she noticed immediately the curtains had been closed to hide the stages completely, which Kat couldn't help but to find fortunate. All around men dressed up just as fancy in suits and ties mingled about the room, talking amongst themselves in small groups, but while they were dressed nice, Kat couldn't help but to notice how scruffy and somewhat scary their faces were. With furrowed eyebrows, she finally glanced away from them just in enough time to watch as a man dressed in a full on, pinstripe, black suit approached them, and just before he had stopped in front of them she couldn't help but to roll her eyes and looked away once she realized it was Joey.

"Well, look what we got here," Joey started in a a false, enthusiastic voice as he lifted his arms and held out his hands slightly. "We got the _roaring twenties _gangster and his _flapper _girlfriend. What the fuck, man? You know Halloween is still a few weeks away, _right?_"

Kat frowned up at him before she shook her head and glanced away, but Joker was smirking as he glanced at Joey's choice of clothing before he looked him back in the eye.

"You're one to talk, _Pinstripe Peter_," Joker growled at him, and he flashed him a wide, toothy smile, and Kat couldn't help but to look over and stare at the dimples on the side of his face before she let out a smirk of her own.

"Cute," Joey said as he tilted his head to the side slightly, and he ran his hand over his thin and somewhat spiky brown hair. "Hey you know how much this suit cost me?" He raised his dark eyebrows as he grabbed each side of the pinstripe jacket, and he held it out slightly for emphasis.

Joker rolled his eyes. "How much?"

"Nothin'," Joey answered. "'Cause I _stole _it. But it _would have_ cost me nearly a couple thousand."

"Ooh, _wow_," Joker said sarcastically as he raised his own, painted eyebrows at his friend. "You're quite the little criminal, Joseph. You're going to fit just _perfectly_ into the plan."

"Hey, whatever," Joey argued as he let his hands drop to his sides. "At least I'm dressed to fit the fuckin' decade. Look at you with your pants pulled all the way up and your fuckin'... _shoes _and shit."

Kat glared back to Joey, and it was at the tip of her tongue to actually open her mouth and somewhat defend Joker, for she couldn't help but to find him to be rather attractive that night, but Joker was more than capable of defending himself.

"The people in the twenties had some _great_ fashion, Joseph," Joker argued on further with a grin. "And I _knew_ everyone would opt out for the standard suit and tie, see, and I have to stand out-"

"As if the face paint wasn't enough..." Joey interrupted in a mumble.

"-_and _I just wasn't feeling _purple _for the occasion."

Kat had remained glaring at Joey once the two men had gone silent, and with another roll of her eyes she turned her head away from Joey once he looked at her. A short second later, however, she heard him stifle back laughter with a smirking face, and from the corner of her eye she saw him shake his head. With an eyebrow cocked she glanced back over to him, and as Joey continued to smirk at her Kat found herself growing more and more angry.

"Girl..." Joey started, but another fit of small giggles overtook him again, and Kat watched as he plucked a napkin from the container on the table that sat next to them, and he held it out to her. "Nice neck."

Joker couldn't hold back the devious grin that parted his lips, and he glanced over to Kat, watching as she snatched the napkin from Joey with a frown. Her face reddening in slight embarrassment, she placed the napkin over the bite mark on her neck, and she tried to ignore the pain as she wiped off what she assumed was face paint, and once she lowered the napkin to look, her guess had been confirmed.

"Man, you're fuckin' sick," Joey started, but Joker was ignoring him, and after glancing at his pocket watch he started to walk past Joey, leaving Kat to quickly start after him once she had thrown the paint covered napkin away.

It seemed as if, in a quick, split second, the entire mood and atmosphere of the club had changed the moment Joker started to head over to the main, large and long table. Kat slowed her pace behind him as she watched literally every man, even Joker's personal thugs, turn to watch as he made his way over, the room nearly completely quiet.

"_Evening, 'gents_," Joker started, and a chill ran through Kat upon hearing his voice, a dark, menacing, and slightly clowny tone that caused her and more than likely everyone else to feel slightly nervous. She hadn't heard him speak like that in a long time...

"You and I both know why we're all here, so lets sit down and get to it," he ended with a slight growl, and after watching him start toward the table did Kat finally pick up her pace to follow him. She waited, standing slightly behind Joker as all the men in the room took a seat somewhere around the long, vertical table, and once Joker had placed his coat on the back of the chair and pulled it back to stand in between it and the table, he glanced over his shoulder, and with a serious nod to his right he beckoned Kat to take a seat adjacent to his. With a swallow, Kat started to the chair, the room silent as literally everyone watched her make her way towards the table. She forced herself to keep her head down as she sat down in her chair, moving to immediately fix her dress afterward while Joey sat down on the other side of Joker, directly across from Kat.

"Now that we're all _situated_," Joker started after he had finally turned away from Kat to glance forward at the rest of the table. "You've all been invited to this meeting tonight because, to my understanding, you are the _best _of the best. And I can't have anyone less than _perfect_ running around to complete what I like to call, the _Mayor Plan_. And what's our goal here and our _main_ topic of discussion, you ask? Put plain and simply…" Joker placed his hands on the table and he leaned over slightly, his arms supporting his weight as he tilted his head down. "We're going to _kill_ the mayor."

Sneers and grins spread across all the guests faces, but Kat was the only one in the room to feel a shock of pure nervousness as her jaw dropped, and she glanced over to Joker. _Kill the mayor_? _Yeah fucking right_.

"You see, Mister Mayor _Hamilton Hill _just doesn't do it for _me_, and I want him _out_, you see. So what not a better way than to _kill him_ and replace him with, uh... someone _better_?"

Kat watched as everyone nodded their heads in approval, and as they started to whisper and mumble amongst themselves Kat turned her head to watch Joker finally sit down in his chair. Her heart continued to race as she watched him lean back comfortably, and she felt her heart sink into chest when he turned to give her a wide, and above all _evil_ grin.

"On that note, it's my _pleasure_ to introduce the _lovely_ man that will be taking ol' Hill's place, Mister Conrad Gibbins." Joker glanced to his left, his eyes immediately falling onto the old, bitter-looking man that sat three chairs down from Joey. His eyes dropped to stare at the long, dark wooden cane that Conrad held on his lap, and Joker's grin expanded into a wide smile. "Why don't you, uh,_ stand up_, Conrad, and be recognized!"

Conrad glared both angrily and sadly at Joker, and the Clown Prince watched as the old man slowly pushed his chair back before struggling to stand up. He wavered a bit before he placed the bottom of his cane to the floor, and he leaned heavily on it for support as a strong shock of pain pulsated throughout the knee Joker had struck him with nearly two weeks prior.

Joker started to slowly clap his gloved hands, and after a short second the rest of the guests picked up the uneven applause, leaving Kat to glance back to Joker as she, too, started to slowly and quietly clap her hands. With a frown she glanced back over to Conrad, watching as he slowly lowered himself back into the chair, flinching every now and again as he did so.

–

In the beginning, despite her somewhat horror stricken face and racing heart, Kat had listened to Joker as he spoke and answered random questions, but towards the middle she had begun to try and find ways to distract herself from listening to details of Joker's grueling plan. She found it absolutely horrifying that Joker planned to kill the mayor and replace him with his own, corrupted man, and as she tuned in and out of the details she was left to wonder how on Earth he was going to get away it. To her, it was a one in a bazillion chance.

But Joker seemed to know what he was talking about, and no matter what Kat thought she knew there was nothing she could do, and no input she could contribute. So she stayed quiet, and through the rest of the meeting she stared down at the table, watching as she idly played with her fingers, until finally, a good hour and a half later, after all the plans had been made, the groups had been assigned, and the deadlines were stressed, the meeting was dispersed, and everyone started to stand. The sound of snapping, leather, fingers caught Kat's attention, and upon glancing to her left she saw it had been Joker who had snapped, and he motioned her to stand as he did so. With a swallow Kat did as she was told and immediately stepped over to Joker, waiting as he grabbed his coat from the chair to fold it delicately over his arm.

"Are you..." she started in a hushed tone, and she paused, waiting for Joker to glance at her, and once he did she continued. "...really going to... kill... the mayor?"

"No, Kat," Joker started, his voice laced with heavy sarcasm. "I just like to deliver false plans to my boys. You know, give them an opportunity to get out of the house."

Kat was frowning as she looked into his eyes through the dim lighting, and Joker remained staring back into hers, his face plain and serious, until finally he rolled his eyes to the ceiling and he forced himself to patiently smile at her.

"_Yes_, Kat," he finally answered her truthfully, his tone slighter lighter as thugs moved past them, staring them both down before moving on to the door. "I am going to kill the mayor. And you, my little Kitty-Kat, are going to sit back and watch the city burn as I take it over, one department at. A. Time," he finished in a hushed a growl.

A chill sputtered through Kat as the rest of the thugs exited the building, and after flashing her a final grin, Joker gently took hold of her upper arm and pulled her along side him as he started for the door himself, and after nodding his appreciations for the borrowing of his club at Joey, he opened the door and the two stepped out.

Light snowflakes had started to fall gently and slowly from the sky, building onto the snow that was already lightly spread on the ground, and once Joker had let go of her arm she crossed them together and allowed herself to shiver slightly, her eyes focused on the trucks. Before they reached the curb, Joker suddenly stepped in front of Kat, halting her in her tracks, and her lips parted slightly as she glanced up at him, and she could feel a wave of goosebumps attack her exposed skin as cars belonging to the other thugs who had attended the meeting drove past. She watched as Joker smirked at her, and he slowly eyed her up and down before his eyes came to meet hers.

"You were the definition of an _excellent_, female guest tonight, Kat," Joker started in a low, even tone, and Kat's eyebrows met in the middle. She waited for Joker to go on, only to turn her head and glance over her shoulder when she heard what sounded like heels scraping against the concrete in the distance. But almost as quickly as she heard it, the streets turned silent, and she was left staring into the dark as she strained to listen further. Joker grinned, and he reached out to lightly grab hold of her jaw, and he turned her head back to face his before taking his hand from her face. "In an atmosphere where you're expected to be seen and not heard, you played the part, and I can only _imagine _how _difficult_ that must have been for _you_." He tilted his head down slightly as he continued to glare deeply into her eyes, and a wave of dizziness overcame Kat at Joker's deep and dark tone. As she stood there, she couldn't help but to wait for Joker to lash out and grab her, perhaps even bang her head against the wall. All night he had been reminding her of how he had been the first night she had encountered him, and the more she anticipated it, the more and more her heart began to race.

But Joker never lashed out, and instead he held his ground as he continued to stare at Kat, watching as the white snowflakes fell in front of her smooth and delicate face. Kat's gaze dropped to his hand once he started to lift it, and her eyebrows furrowed even more as she watched him pluck the perfect, red rose from the pocket of his vest. His grin never fading, he held it out to her, and Kat couldn't help but to grin as she looked back into his eyes, and finally she lifted her own hand to accept the rose, holding the small, green stem in between her two fingers. It was at the tip of her tongue to ask him what the _fuck_ he was doing as she wondered desperately what was currently going on inside his twisted head, but instead she kept her mouth shut, deciding to just continue to go along with the random moment. _Tonight's all about class, _he had said earlier that day.

Joker had just opened his mouth to talk as he took a small step closer to Kat, and this time Kat was not alone when she glanced behind her shoulder upon hearing that same noise. Joker looked past Kat to the streets, and he narrowed his eyes on a random, all black, curvy figure as it slowly approached the two.

"Well isn't this just _precious_," the figure started in a smooth and sultry tone once it had neared both Kat and Joker, and Kat's eyes widened slightly as she instinctively took a step closer to Joker, but at the same time she couldn't help but to find the figure's voice to be slightly familiar…

"It would be," Joker started simply, even though he, like Kat, had no idea who this mysterious figure was. "But you're kinda ruining it." From behind her, Kat listened as Joker reached into his pocket, and she held her breath in anticipation as she listened to Joker flick out his favorite knife from within the pocket. "Why don't you tell us who _you_ are?"

"Oh, Mister Joker," the figure purred with a laugh as it took another step closer. "That's not what's important here." Finally, the female figure stepped into the light, and Kat felt her lips part in mild confusion as she stared at the girl in front of her. She was dressed, head to toe, in tight, black leather that reflected slightly in the dim streetlights. She wore a hood of sorts over her head that hid her hair completely, and on it sat two, little triangles that resembled cat ears, and on her face she wore large, cat-eye, dark goggles, and a malicious grin was plastered onto her perfectly shaped, red lips. "But you can, however, call me _Catwoman_."

"_Catwoman_," Joker repeated as he stepped past Kat, and he tapped his knife gently against his leg as he continued to stare at the cat-like lady. "Such a serious name. I'm sure _many_ people _cower_ in your presence."

"Oh, they do," she answered him, and upon hearing car doors close, she glanced over to the two large SUVs, and she watched for a moment as Joker's thugs stepped away from the vehicles, their eyes fixed intently on her. She glanced past Joker to Kat, watching as she stared at her, before she looked back to Joker.

"Well forgive me, Miss _Fearful_ _Feline_ of the Night, but I do believe you are wasting. My. Time."

"Oh, no, no," Catwoman started lowly just as Joker had taken a step closer to her. "Please forgive _me_." As soon as her lips had closed she lifted her leg to deliver a quick and hard kick to Joker's stomach, and taken by slight surprise, Joker couldn't help but to double over slightly as he let out a small laugh at Catwoman's idiotic mistake. But Catwoman wasted no time, and just as Joker had started to finally lean back up she sprinted towards Kat to immediately grab her arm, and a small shout erupted from her as Catwoman pulled on her arm, forcing her to turn around.

Kat's heart raced and her feet ached as she was forced to run beside her, and from behind she could hear the footsteps of Joker's thugs as they chased after. She glanced over her shoulder as best as she could, and past her blowing hair she could make out Bacardi and Bozo closing in, and from behind them she watched as Joker got in the drivers side of the black Suburban, a slight scowl on his face. But before she could witness anything else she was suddenly jeered to the right, and was forced to continue running through a deep, nearly pitch black ally.

Snow continued to fall as Kat and Catwoman continued to run, moving throughout all the alleys as if they were mazes. But just as they had started to turn the corner into a different one, Kat's stinging feet finally gave out, and she immediately fell to the ground, nearly dragging Catwoman down with her.

With a small huff she glance down to her and began to pull on Kat's arm, trying to drag her back to a standing position. "Kat, let's go!"

"Who _are_ you?" Kat hissed as she waved her arm in the air, forcing Catwoman to let go. With a large sigh Catwoman finally leaned up, and as if deciding she was done running, Kat started to loosen the straps from her right shoe with a wince as she started up at her, watching as Catwoman started to lift her goggles, and the world came to a sudden halt as Kat stared up at the all too familiar person, her jaw dropping.

"_Selina_...?"

From the mouth of the alley, Selina heard a car approaching, and upon glancing up she watched as headlights from the vehicle grew brighter and brighter. She immediately turned around, but hung her head back as she cursed to herself, realizing quickly the alley they had entered was nothing but a dead end. All too fortunately, however, just to her right sat an old, rusty, metal latter, and she instantly turned to Kat just as the truck had slowly started past the alleyway.

"Kat, c'mon," she started, and she forced her to stand. Kat's mind was a haze, and she felt as though she could barely comprehend anything as Selina forced her towards the latter. "Climb!" She instructed through a loud whisper. "Now!"

Kat's hands, arms and legs shook as she slowly started up the latter, and she felt as though she was seconds from falling as Selina climbed up slowly behind her. Once they had both reached the top, Selina was quick to grab Kat's arm again and drag her behind her as they quickly walked further onto the roof of the old building, and just below she could see Joker stepping out of the SUV to head towards the alley. But she continued on, scouting out for their next area to to go while Kat was left to desperately figure out what was going on and how the _fuck _they were supposed to get down from the roof...

Below, Joker slowly started into the alley, his loud footsteps echoing on through the night as Bozo and Bacardi stopped at the mouth of the alley, watching as their boss disappeared into the darkness. A feet from the dead end wall, Joker stopped his stride suddenly, and he bent down, reaching out to grab the black object in front of him. He instantly recognized the object to be one of Kat's stilettos, and after glancing up to the wall he looked to his right where he noticed the latter. He cocked an eyebrow as he stood, but he did not start towards the latter, and instead he calmly turned around to start back towards his two thugs.

"Where'd they go?" Bozo asked quickly. "We need to get them!"

"Oh, we'll get them," Joker said calmly as he moved past, and he dropped his arm to the side, letting Kat's shoe tap gently against his leg as he walked. "Well get them..."

**Enjoy this Halloween chapter that has NOTHING to do with Halloween :) Reviews, as always, are greatly appreciated and I'd like to thank all of you who are regular reviewers and who reviewed the last chapter. Can I say 'review' anymore? Yes I can... review.**

**Haha, enjoy :)**


	16. Something Takes A Part of Me

"Selina, really, I don't think that's necessary."

"It is, Kat. Trust me, do you _see_ your feet? It'll help."

With a large, over the top sigh, Kat hugged her warm, white blanket closer to herself, and after leaning back in the large, white, luxurious lounge chair, she forced herself to lift her cold and aching feet and place them in the small, tan tub of warm water. Frowning deeply, she looked to Selina, who was still clad in her leather suit, minus the hood, and her curly blond hair fell over her shoulders. Selina smiled warmly at Kat as she glanced up at her from the floor, but Kat merely rolled her eyes and looked away after understanding that oh-so friendly smile meant nothing more than 'I told you so'. Her smile fading slightly, Selina finally stood from the ground and she made her way towards the hallway to disappear into her bedroom to change.

The past hour was completely bewildering to Kat, and she had a rather hard time recalling it. Her eyebrows absentmindedly furrowed as she thought back to everything, and she found it all so hard to believe. It had been _so_ random, Selina just showing up like that out of seemingly _nowhere_, and at the complete wrong moment, as well. Kat did not want to admit it, but she'd by lying if she said Joker giving her that rose hadn't warmed her cold and bitter heart, just a _little_...

Once Selina and Kat had made it to the top of the roof, Kat had been forced to make her way across it in one shoe. Being high up on a _roof_ had been one thing, but having to cross it in a quick pace in one shoe was pushing it, and the entire time Kat felt as though she couldn't comprehend anything. Selina had pushed her on, and had forced and helped Kat to cross a series of roofs on buildings that were close together, and once Joker's gang had completely vanished, Selina and Kat climbed down to safety. But that was not what was _terribly _confusing to Kat. She seemed to have entered the twilight zone once they entered a mysterious, black car parked a few blocks away from the latter they had descended, and in the driver seat Kat had found a young, brunette girl driving. Once Selina had closed the door, the girl drove off with no questions asked, and while Kat was desperate to know where they were going, her cold and fuzzy mind was much too distracted, and all she could focus on was hiding her shivers and looking down to the rose in her hand she hadn't even realize she had held on to through all that running.

Nearly fifteen minutes later, the brunette had pulled onto a a long driveway that led up to a rather large and dark house with dark red trim around the door and windows, and after parking the car in the massive garage, Selina helped Kat out of the car and led her straight into the living room, where she currently resided now, with her feet in that _stupid_, over the top bucket of water. But Kat would be lying if she said she wasn't warm, and that the chair she was in wasn't comfortable, and though she didn't exactly realize it, the more and more she warmed up, the more clearly she was able to think.

With the noise of a dresser drawer closing, it seemed a realization had hit Kat. Wasn't it safe to say that now, _finally, _she was free of Joker? That was, after all, what she had always wanted since that fatal night in the alley, wasn't it? Selina, as random as it had been, had _rescued_ her, brought her to safer place where Kat could finally feel _free_. Kat felt as though she should feel riveted with pure excitement and relief, that she should be full of smiles and repeatedly thanking Selina for the most generous act anyone had ever done for her, even if she was a seemingly, new-found villain or sorts. But why wasn't she feeling all these things? Really, now that Kat thought about it, wasn't it like being a captive to a whole new villain now?

Kat pushed the thought out of her head, figuring Selina would give her the answers she desired soon, and for the time being she should _really _start to consider how fortunate she was. But as Kat turned her head to the right once she heard the sound of a door closing, her eyes immediately fell on that single, red rose that sat on the end table next to her, and an odd, but strong feeling stung her heart and caused her stomach to drop when she was immediately taken back to that moment after the meeting...

Now, dressed in a white tank top and black shorts, her curly hair bouncing away behind her, Selina made her way into the large, dimly lit living room, and she grinned at Kat again as she took a seat in the lounge chair to the right of Kat's and the opposite side of the end table.

"I told you that would help," she said, her voice low and playful. She watched as Kat's eyes lifted from the end table to look into hers, but she said nothing and instead looked away to stare into the large, white marble fireplace located directly across the room, below the large, flat screen TV. Selina's grin faded as she stared at the profile of Kat, but all too quickly her jaw was suddenly dropping once her own blue eyes fell onto the _disgusting _bite mark on Kat's neck.

"Oh, my God. Is that-?" Selina was truly at a loss for words as she immediately stood from the chair, and a feeling that resembled both anger and disgust swelled up inside of her as Kat turned back to look up at her. "What the _hell_ is on your neck?"

Kat's frown deepened, and she tried to pass of the issue by rolling her eyes and looking away again, but this only gave Selina a better view of her neck, and she most certainly was not about to let this issue slide past.

"Kat, how _could_ you?" She asked in a sigh. Kat continued to stare past the marble floored entrance of the house, located just near the living room, and she made a point to keep her gaze fixed on the handle of the large, black door. A short second later, she heard Selina sigh loudly and take a step closer, and upon turning her head back to the right she saw Selina had snatched the rose from end table.

"No!" Kat shouted, and she let go of the blanket, the soft fabric falling from her shoulders as she leaned up and over slightly to snatch it back hungrily from Selina. The blonde's jaw dropped even further as she stared down at her poor, _confused_ friend, and her eyebrows furrowed as she watched Kat sit back in the chair and look over the rose with narrowed and focused eyes. Kat scowled as she let her fingers move over the crimson petals, fixing them from their bent positions due to Selina's rough grasp as she silently cursed to herself.

"Really, Kat?" Selina asked and she stepped closer to her chair before she squatted down next to it, and she glanced up to Kat, trying to find her eyes through her mess of hair that had fallen in her face. "You're acting _so_ unlike yourself! That rose is nothing but a remembrance of what that _psycho_ did to you! Let me get rid of it."

"It's _fine_," Kat snarled at her as she momentarily glanced at Selina, and a short second later she looked back to the rose, and once the petals had been fixed to the best of her ability, she lowered her arms to rest her hands on her lap, the rose safely laying in the palms of her hands. Selina continued to frown up at her friend, and as she took a deep and calming breath she figured it would be best to just act patient with Kat. Obviously, Joker had done more damage to her than she had thought in the beginning, and she knew it would just take time. Fortunately, she had rescued Kat, and now she was safe with her, in a location Joker didn't know about. From here, Kat could do nothing but improve...

"I'm sorry," Selina said finally. "I just-" She paused as she stood up, and she ran her hand through her hair before she plopped back down into her own lounge chair. "I guess I'm just glad I got to you before he could do any more damage."

Kat squinted her eyes in slight confusion as she glanced over to her friend, but she pushed Selina's words out of her head. "Look, enough about me, what the hell is going on with _you_? What is all of... _this_?"

"I told you I changed my life around," Selina said, not entirely in the mood to talk about herself, but before she could try and change the subject back to Kat, Kat persisted on.

"_Catwoman_?" Kat asked. "What happened to your apartment? How are you suddenly living in this house? I feel like you had to rob a bank or something to afford it." Kat's eyes grew wide as she glared at her friend, and she waited for Selina to laugh at her accusation and correct her, but when she stayed perfectly silent, her frown deepening, did Kat realize the silent answer Selina was portraying. "Oh, God..."

"Kat, look- it's... hard to explain." Selina sighed loudly and was about to go on, but the sudden meow from a cat caught both of their attention, and Kat watched as Selina's cat, Ms. Kitty, jumped onto her lap, and she began to purr away the second Selina smoothed her hand over the cat's back. "This isn't entirely _my_ house. The brunette who was driving the car? Her name is Mayven, we grew up together, and she recently moved back to Gotham to acquire her parent's house – this house – but she didn't have the money to afford it, so I-"

"_Robbed _a _bank_?" Kat asked in disbelief. "And how come I never heard of this chick?"

"I just never brought it up...?" Selina half asked. "Look it's hard to explain, Kat. I needed a change in my life so I accepted the first thing that came my way."

"Turning to a life of a crime was the change you needed?" Kat asked, truly bewildered by this. It was crazy to her, Selina had once been a stressed, scramble-minded secretary, and now suddenly was some confident, strong minded woman, capable of robbing a bank and God knows what else? And she thought Joker was full of surprises...

"I didn't expect you to understand," Selina said as she looked down to her lap. "Look, regardless, I'm still your friend, and that day at the grocery store and coffee house I _knew _something was up with you. It made no sense Joker would just... leave you alone after that night... Why didn't you tell me? I could have helped you sooner, Kat." Selina glanced back to her friend, and she stared into her eyes until Kat finally looked away with sigh. As if Selina's lap had turned uncomfortable, Ms. Kitty suddenly leaped away from Selina and immediately jumped onto Kat's lap, and she was quick to hold up her arms as to not let the Kat soil the rose. Holding onto the flowers stem with her left hand, the second Kat touched her right palm to the cat's head it started purring away as it closed its eyes, and it comfortably leaned its head against the arm rest of the chair.

"I just... couldn't," Kat said. "Every time we saw each other I was being monitored by his stupid thugs, and there was nothing I could say. He took my phone and I had no way of doing anything..." Now that Kat said it out loud, it seemed as though she finally understood the reality of her situation, and she felt dizzy as slight anger overcame her.

"Hmm," Selina said. "Well hey, let's look at the positives. You're safe now, away from _him_, and you can finally start your life now, right?"

"Yeah," Kat said. _I guess_, she thought to herself as she continued to idly pet Ms. Kitty. She started to slowly pivot the rose stem back and forth between her fingers as she recalled the words she had just spoken to Selina, and while a part of her felt angry and violated over what Joker had done, another part of her couldn't help but to feel slightly... discouraged? Kat's feelings, as always, made no sense to her, but as she continued to sit in that comfortable chair in the large and fancy living room, she couldn't help but to feel as though she was still unable to move forward with her life, and finally live her _own_ life, which is why she had moved to Gotham in the first place. Now, she was forced to hide away in this house, for if she was step foot outside she felt as though Joker would be right there, waiting for her, but at this point in time she didn't know if staying at Selina's would be a good idea...

–

Smoke slowly vanished into the cold, night air as Joker exhaled, and he dropped his hand to his side, idly pivoting the cigarette in between his two fingers as he looked off into the distance, his eyes focused on the horizon as each side of his unbuttoned shirt flowed behind him in the slight wind. Behind him and sitting on the porch, Bozo, Rocco and Henshaw were busy chatting amongst themselves, their topic of discussion being that of Kat's sudden 'kidnapping' of sorts. Standing a few feet away from them, Joker had been listening into their conversation the entire time, but he remained silent with his thoughts and own inputs as he tried to not only comprehend what the hell had happened, but what he was going to do to fix it.

"If you ask me I'm glad she's gone," Rocco was saying bitterly. "Stupid little _bitch_. I can't_ stand_ her."

Rocco rolled his eyes, and as he he lifted his cigarette to his lips to take a drag he glanced down at Bozo, who was seated on the porch, and he widened his eyes as he looked up to Rocco, and he nodded his head towards Joker as if silently saying 'look who's listening, you idiot!' Rocco understood his look, but he merely rolled his eyes to the sky again as he quickly blew out the smoke, shaking his head as he did so.

"I don't care," he went on. "I know he don't like her, either. She's a waste of fuckin' space, and a pure, fuckin' brat. I actually feel bad for that broad that took her." Rocco let out a small laugh as he shook his head, but the sudden sound of Joker clearing his throat caught the thug's attention, and they all looked over to Joker once they heard him approaching. He threw his half finished cigarette to the ground and immediately stepped onto the porch after tapping each foot against the concrete to rid his shoes of the snow.

"Don't get to used to it, Rocco," Joker warned in an even tone as he reached out for the handle of the screen door and he looked over to Rocco. "In a short matter of time, Kat's gonna be right back _here_, drinking her tea and bitching and pouting away, just in spite of _you_." He raised his eyebrows as he looked to Rocco, and on that final note he finally stepped into the warm house, leaving Bozo to laugh to himself as he shook his head at Joker's simple way of bringing Rocco down.

Joker slowly and calmly walked through the dark house toward his office, his white and black shoes echoing throughout the quiet house as they hit the wooden floor with each step. Upon stepping into his office, he snapped on the light and gently closed the door behind him and continued with his slow and lazy waltz over to his desk. He sat down in the chair with a plop, and he immediately lifted his left leg to lazily plop his foot onto the desk, and he leaned over to start taking the shoe off before he proceeded on to the other one. Once they were removed and discarded into the corner, Joker sat back in the chair with a sigh, his eyes immediately falling onto Kat's one, abandoned stiletto that sat on the middle of his desk.

Joker wasn't necessarily angry over what had happened, but at the same time he wasn't exactly thrilled that Kat had suddenly been taken from him. She was his toy, his possession, and above all, his _property_. Somewhere down the line she had become _branded_ to him, and the further Joker thought about it as the moments ticked on, the more he began to realize just how upset he actually rather was. He growled to himself bitterly as he rolled his eyes, and he forced himself to look away from her shoe, and he was left to ask himself a simple, but difficult question: _why_?

Why was he so bothered that Kat had been taken? After all, was she _really_ that important to him, enough of an asset to his operation to spare? Perhaps this whole situation had been fate, and was meant to be taken as a sign for him to finally step back and take a good look at himself. Recalling further, he figured it was safe to admit he was loosing it, _big _time. At what point had Kat become something that made him genuinely joyous, in one way or another? At what point did resisting her suddenly become a tedious chore, and why had Joker allowed her to get some sort of hold on him in the first place? And at what point did Kat suddenly become something deemed _important_ to Joker, something that he would defend and not act himself around, even in front of other people?

His stomach clenched upon thinking these thoughts, and he closed his eyes as he tilted his head back against the top of the chair. Over the weeks, Kat had gone from a toy in Joker's eyes to almost an actual, important person, and it made him sick to realize just how truthful he was being when he had told her he wasn't going to kill her. Maybe this way Joker would get the best of both worlds. He'd keep his word, he wouldn't kill her, and at the same time he'd finally be rid of the biggest distraction in his life. But then again, a part of him, honestly, wasn't exactly ready for Kat to be gone...

She was amusing, to the say the least, and was always there to do the things Joker had no business with doing, such as cleaning or keeping the house stocked with food. Her bitchy, foul, 'the whole world is out to get me' attitude always brought a smile to his face, and he'd be lying if he said he didn't enjoy putting her in her place when the situation called for it, and the dumbfounded look that would take over her face. He loved being able to so easily control her demeanor, but that being said, he also liked how stubborn-minded she was, or how stubborn she tried to be, even around him. She was truly unlike any other girl he had ever encountered, and all these reasons took not only a mental effect on him, but a physical one as well. That night, on the way to the meeting, Joker had decided he didn't care what his thugs thought about his new and sudden ways with Kat, and it made even him slightly nervous to know how serious he had been about it.

All feelings aside, logically Joker figured he had to take Kat back. He wasn't exactly sure who the woman was that had taken her, but he was certain that, sooner or later, Kat would leak his plans and location to somebody important, and really this could not have come at a worse time. Joker was preparing to do one of the biggest jobs in his life, and having to deal with changing their location would prove to be nothing but a burden. He groaned as he finally lifted his head from the chair, and he opened his eyes, knowing these reasons were good, valid excuses to take back what was is.

But as his eyes fell back onto Kat's shoe on his desk, he was immediately taken back to earlier that night, and he recalled watching her walk down the stairs, and how she had looked in her dress. He thought back to the rose he had given her after the meeting had ended, and rather than trying to figure out _why_ he had preformed what was arguably the most idiotic thing he had _ever_ done, all he could fathom was the fact that now he wouldn't get the chance to rip off those fishnets from her legs, and for the time being that was his biggest problem...

–

After their somewhat awkward conversation had ended, and after Selina had brought Kat a towel to dry off her feet from the warm bucket of water, the two had moved into the large, dark wood kitchen, where Selina busied herself with emptying out the bucket in the sink while Kat sipped from a mug of steaming hot tea at the large, circular table. Her fishnet covered legs were stretched in front of her under the table, and she idly stared at the chair on the opposite side as she took another sip from her mug. All the while in the kitchen, Kat thought back to all that Selina had said, and as she tried to comprehend it all and convince herself that yes, this _was _all happening and was reality, Selina was busy thinking over her friend's situation. Honestly, she had been expecting for Kat to be full of nothing but hugs and thank you's for rescuingher, but with a small sigh she reminded herself that Joker's evil mind had taken a rather large toll on her and it had been a rather stressful night, and hopefully after a good night's sleep Kat would be feeling more safe, appreciative, and more like herself in the morning.

"I made up the guest bedroom upstairs," Selina started as she turned off the faucet, and she left the bucket on the counter next to the sink, figuring either she or Mayven would finish it in the morning. She turned around, and Kat glanced up to Selina as she gently set the mug on the table. "I'll show you where it is and give you some clothes to borrow."

Kat didn't say anything, and instead she nodded as she glanced back down to her tea. Selina continued to lean against the counter as she watched her friend stare down into her tea mug, her face still as she remained perfectly silent. With a large sigh, Selina pushed herself away from the counter and placed her palms on the table as she leaned over it, and once Kat finally lifted her head to look at her did she speak.

"Are you even... _glad_ that I saved you?" Selina asked. "Please, give me an honest answer."

"No, I am, I am," Kat quickly assured, her eyes widening. She opened her mouth to speak further, but she quickly stopped herself from letting the truth pour from it, and instead she looked away. "I mean, it's all just so... weird. I mean with you being all..."

"I know," Selina interrupted. "But that's not what's important here. I'm still your friend, Kat, I could tell something was seriously wrong, and I wanted to help before it was too late. And talk about being in the right place at the right time..." She trailed off as she glanced towards the two swinging doors that led out of the kitchen on the far wall to her right while Kat slowly nodded to herself.

"Well, thank you," she finally spoke up slowly, but Selina could tell it had been forced.

"Sure," Selina said as she glanced back to Kat, and after another moment of silence she leaned away from the table. "I'll show you where the guest room is."

After pouring out the rest of her tea into the sink and being assured Mayven would take care of the dishes, Kat followed Selina out of the kitchen, past the living room, and to a set of stairs located near the front door. As Selina started to climb them, Kat glanced out of the long, vertical window by the door, and she frowned once she noticed the snow had started to pick up. With a sigh, she turned to follow Selina up the stairs, and after following her down a long hallway Selina pushed open the last door to the left and allowed Kat to walk inside.

Her breath was immediately taken away as Kat stared into the large, dark carpeted room, her eyes instantly roaming over all the old-fashioned, dark wood furniture. The head of the giant bed rested against the same wall as the door with large end tables on either side to her right, and a large window was placed on the wall adjacent, the crimson curtains parted slightly. Across the bed on the opposite wall was a door that led to the bathroom, an old vanity, and a large dresser was placed in the corner. Selina stepped into the room after Kat, smiling slightly, and waited until Kat turned around to speak.

"There's no TV in here," she stated. "But you can always go in the living room when you want. You can just, do whatever, I'm sure Mayven won't mind. I'll keep the light on downstairs just in case. The house get's pretty dark..."

"Thank you," Kat said, as a genuine, small smile appeared on her face. "Really."

"Of course," Selina smiled. "Let me go get you something to change in to." Without another word, Kat watched as Selina turned to exit the room, and as she descended the stairs Kat turned to look over the room further. It was ridiculously large with a ton of floor space in the middle, but what was important was that it was warm, and actually gave off a rather comforting feeling. She took a seat on the edge of the bed, and she ran her hand over the thick, dark red comforter. But much to her dismay, she was instantly taken back to Joker's bedroom, and she recalled how comfortable his bed always been, and how inviting it seemed, regardless of the room it was in or who it belonged too. She rolled her eyes as she stood up, and she pushed her hair out of her face. A part of her knew she was glad to be at this house and away from Joker. After all she had finally gotten what she had always wanted. But still, another part of her couldn't help but to seem almost unhappy about it all...

"Alright, this should fit." Selina suddenly appeared in the doorway, and she held forth a pair of black, silky pajama pants and a light blue tank top. "I don't have very many long sleeved shirts anymore, but we keep the house pretty warm."

"It's great, thank you," Kat said as she took the clothes with a smile.

"If you need anything, just go ahead and do it," Selina added with a small laugh, but she was quick to suddenly frown. "Except... don't go into the basement."

"What's in the basement?" Kat couldn't help but to instantly wonder out loud, her mind instantly picturing an unfinished area full of dirty and disgusting thugs. But just as quickly as she had envisioned it, she quickly pushed the thought out of her mind as she reminded herself she was in a completely different place now.

"It's just... Mayven's area," Selina said. "She keeps all her stuff down there." She forced a a quick smile to her friend and instantly took a step back towards the door. "I'll let you change and... do whatever," she finally said, her tone lighter. "Goodnight."

"Night," Kat said, and without another word Selina stepped into the hallway, closing Kat's door behind her, and finally Kat turned to head into the bathroom.

–

After a long, steaming, hot shower, Kat took a deep, calming breath as she emerged from the bathroom in a aura of steam, clad in Selina's comfortable sleep clothes, and she hung her towel on a series of wooden hooks conveniently located by the bathroom door. She ran her fingers through her wet hair, and after deciding to grab a quick glass of water before going to bed she made her way across the room towards the closed door, and she quietly opened it before stepping out into the dark hallway. But upon descending the stairs and starting across the living room, she saw the the lamp on the end table in the middle of the two chairs was still on, dimly illuminating the large room in a low, orange light, and her eyes immediately fell to the rose that sat on the dark wooden furniture. She felt her stomach drop slightly as she stepped over to the end table to quickly pick up the rose, and she rotated it slowly in her hand as she was brought back to that moment with Joker as he had given it to her.

He had seemed so... different. At that moment he wasn't menacing or threatening, rather he had seemed gentle and genuine, and had been totally, perfectly capable of showing Kat true, old-fashioned class. A small smile spread across her lips, and she recalled how she had felt upon accepting the rose from him, the flower that had always been intended to be given to her the moment he had placed it in the pocket earlier that night. Regardless of the snow sprinkling around them, she had felt warm, safe, and comforted. But suddenly her smile disappeared and faded into a frown as she recalled how rather eager she had been to get home that evening...

Forgetting about her slight thirst now, Kat turned off the lamp before sulking back to the stairs in the dark, and she slowly climbed them as she continued to rotate the rose's stem in between her two fingers. It seemed her last thought had really struck a nerve... Had she _really_ been that excited to go home and shut herself away with him in his bedroom? It was _so_ unlike her to feel so swoon over a man, especially one as evil, unpredictable and seemingly heartless as the Joker. What had gone wrong, when had it happened, and most importantly, _why? _

Frowning still, Kat closed the door behind her, and she never took her eyes off of the rose as she stepped over to the bed. She idly sat down at the edge of it, her eyes still intently focused on the rose's deep red layers of petals. Perhaps Selina's rescuing of her couldn't have come at a better time. Here Kat was, falling away from herself more and more each and every day she continued on with Joker, and now, thanks to Selina, Kat had the chance to correct herself, and get back on a track to normality. No matter what, Joker was still a heartless killer, and no human-like quality he showed her would ever change that, and Kat had stupidly started to think that there was more to him. Chances were, had she stuck around with him long enough to see if there _was_ something deeper with him, she'd only end up getting killed anyway, regardless of what he had once assured her.

It was that simple, and she had missed it. Selina had done her the biggest favor and justice anyone could ever do, and at the time Kat had been too blinded by her stupid, weak emotions to realize it. With a large sigh from her nose, Kat opened the top drawer of the end table next to her to place the rose gently inside, and she remained staring at the lone object. Deep, deep down, past the thoughts of realization, she had to wonder if perhaps she was wrong. Maybe there _was_ something more to Joker, and maybe she could have found out, even that night, but more than likely she was better off this way. It seemed as though she was of two minds on the whole issue, with each having equal inputs and valid points, but it only caused her greater confusion and frustration, and it left her unsure of what to do or think.

She finally closed the drawer, and after pulling back the comforter and sheets of the bed she climbed in, turning the lamp on the end table off after. Once empty and quiet darkness had taken over the room, Kat laid her head down and immediately closed her eyes, shivering slightly, and she took in a deep, calming breath as her mind instantly pictured the rose in the drawer next to her. Joker, for whatever sick, twisted and disgusting reason, had some sort of effect on her, and keeping the rose secretly in her possession not only served as a reminder of the odd, but somewhat alluring feelings her gave her from time to time, but also as a symbol of hope; hope in the fact that she was completely wrong about everything, after all...

**Reviews put a smile on my face, and it'll put a smile on yours once you receive another update :)  
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	17. Liar

It seemed the second Joker opened his eyes from his somewhat uneasy slumber, a splitting headache had immediately began to surface, and with a slight groan he closed his eyes slowly as he turned his body onto the opposite side. He hadn't even been awake for more than a minute, and already he could tell that something seemed seriously... off. He settled onto his left side, his body sinking warmly and comfortably into his mattress, and as he continued to lay with his eyes closed, the headache seemingly getting worse as the seconds ticked on, he realized his bedroom seemed much more quieter than normal. Eyebrows furrowed, he gently opened his eyes, and once they had adjusted to the darkness of his bedroom, a very random, very _unwanted_ shock ran up his spine as he stared into the empty space in front of him. He remained staring at the area in front of him, void of the bitchy girl he had unknowingly gotten so accustomed to waking up next to, as memories of the night before came rushing back, and as a wave of annoyance and anger overcame him, he blinked his eyes rapidly as if erasing the images from his mind, and he turned onto his back quickly.

He sighed deeply in through his nose, and much to his dismay, the longer he laid awake the worse his headache began to get, but rather than wondering why he had the headache in the first place, he tried to figure out when he had become so use to waking up next to Kat, and most importantly why he had allowed himself to get that way. His mind dealt him an image of her small frame sleeping soundly next to him, and he allowed himself to picture Kat's slightly scowling features as she breathed in and out deeply from her nose, and the way her long, wavy hair sprawled out all around her on the pillow. It seemed both conscious and unconscious, Kat's plain facial expression always portrayed that she was either mad or annoyed, and upon thinking this Joker couldn't help but let out a short, breathless laugh as he turned his head to the side, towards the 'ha' covered wall, but almost as quickly as he had started to laugh he immediately forced himself to stop. _You've gotta be fucking kidding me... _

Nearly thirty to forty miles away from the annoyed Joker lay Kat in Selina's quiet guestroom. Sleeping had proven itself to be a chore the night before, as she was forced to deal with a mattress that was slightly too stiff and confusing feelings she had battled with herself over for hours on end until finally she became too exhausted to think another thought. But an odd noise that resembled scratching on the door had torn her away from her light slumber, and like she had for the past five minutes, Kat laid quietly in her bed, her eyes focused on the window across from her, as she listened to the scratching persist.

Finally, with a slightly annoyed sigh, she turned onto her opposite side, her eyes immediately falling onto her closed door through the dim room, and her eyebrows met in the middle as she watched a pair of dark gray, kitty paws appear from underneath the door. She watched as they reached into the room as far as they could go, stretching, stretching, until the owner pulled them back to disappear behind the door, leaving slight scratch marks on the carpet. A short second later the paws returned, continuing to reach their way into the room until they retracted, and a short second later Kat heard a meow from the other side of the door.

With another sigh she finally threw the blankets off of her, and almost immediately after standing the faint scent of coffee hit her senses, and she couldn't help but to groan disgustedly. She ran her fingers through her long hair before tossing it behind her shoulders, and for a short second she wondered if she _really _wanted to leave her room and deal with Selina... She glanced at the clock, nine o' nine, and she sighed again as she realized it was most likely inevitable, and the sooner she got it over with, the better. Now that she was standing, a sense of weakness overcame her so suddenly and rapidly, and it caused her to feel lightheaded for a moment, but rather than debating with herself over whether or not it would be a good idea to go back to bed, Kat was already stepping over to the door, the pair of paws disappearing from the under the door as she neared.

A large yawn caused her jaw to drop, and she reached out lazily for the handle of the door once the yawn had passed. But just as she opened the door, a small, gray, Chartreux cat quickly pounced inside the room, and left Kat speechless as it started to rub itself against her leg. Slightly dumbfounded, she continued to stare down at the cat as it purred away, until finally she bent over to see if the cat would let her pick it up. It had, and it continued to purr as she stared into its greenish yellow eyes, until finally she stepped into the hallway, realizing quickly this was not how she expected her first morning at Selina, or Mayven's house to go.

Selina's and another, unidentified voice grew louder and louder as Kat neared the kitchen, the cat still in her hands, and once she had reached the dark wooden, lightly swinging doors, she reached out with her foot and gently pushed the left side open before stepping inside the kitchen, where she found Selina and the brunette from the night before sitting at the table, enjoying morning doughnuts and steaming mugs of coffee.

"Good morning, Kat," Selina said the second after Kat had stepped into the kitchen. "How'd you sleep?"

"Fine," she lied easily, and she shifted all her weight onto her left food as the cat started to wriggle around in her arms slightly. Kat watched as Selina's eyes narrowed on the cat in her arms, but just as she had opened her mouth to talk, the brunette next to her was already rising from the table.

"Kat, I'm Mayven," she said once she reached her, and she held out her hand. Kat gently took hold of her hand, and her eyebrows met in the middle as Mayven shook it up and down vigorously. "I hope you don't mind- but Selina was telling me about your... _situation_?" She whispered the word slightly. "And I am _so_ sorry. I can't even begin to _imagine_ all that you went through."

Kat continued to stare into Mayven's dark brown, nearly black eyes as she tried not to look so shocked over Mayven's sudden outburst. _All that I went through? _Kat thought to herself sourly, and as she stood there, trying to allow her mind to come up with something, anything completely gruesome Joker had done to her, the only thing that came to mind, oddly enough, had been the night he had rescued her from Bacardi. She thought back to him storming onto the landing and commanding her to go into the safety of his room, and what had followed after...

Finally, Kat blinked, and she forced a small, fake smile. "Thank you," she said simply, hoping these words would shut Mayven up. It grew silent, and once Mayven realized Kat had nothing more to say, she finally bowed her head, her long, brown ponytail falling from her shoulder, and she retreated back to the table, and once she had sat down Selina cleared her throat.

"Um, is that... _Murphy_?" She glanced over to Mayven just as she had looked up, and she glanced at the cat Kat was still holding from over her coffee mug.

"Wow, it is!" She exclaimed. "That's odd, how did you get him to come to you?"

"He um, woke me up," Kat answered. "He was trying to get into the room, and when I opened the door he came in."

"And you just... picked him up?" Selina pondered on, and she let out a small laugh when Kat slowly nodded her head, confusion in her eyes. "It's just that Murphy is really shy around people, and he won't even let_ me_ or Mayven pick him up. He likes to hide in that guestroom you're in all the time, but I figured he'd stay away from it since you were in there."

Suddenly, Murphy began to squirm around more vigorously, and just as Kat glanced down at him he jumped out of her arms and easily pushed past the swinging door with his head, disappearing behind it a second later. When Kat turned back to the table she saw Selina was pointing to the chair across from hers.

"Sit down," she said. "Do you like coffee?"

"No," Kat answered.

"Doughnuts?"

"No, thanks," Kat replied as she pulled out the chair from the table, and she could feel both Selina and Mayven staring at her.

"Not a morning 'gal, are you?" Selina pondered on with a smile. Kat forced a grin back at her as she shook her head, and her tired eyes focused onto the clock on the microwave behind Selina.

At nine twenty Joker had finally started to make his way downstairs. After lazing around in bed for a good ten minutes longer, he had finally forced himself up, and after putting on a pair of black sweat pants and throwing on his white, button up shirt, he exited his room and started down the stairs, each side of the shirt flowing behind him.

In the kitchen, the four thugs were seated in their normal spots around the circular table, with Rocco in the far corner, Henshaw to his left, Bozo to his right, and Bacardi sat opposite of Rocco, closest to the arch of the kitchen. The brothers each drank their black coffee in matching mugs while Bozo idly used his knuckles to knock a low and steady beat into the wood, which was increasingly getting on Rocco's nerves at an alarming rate. He glanced up and away from his paper as he looked to Bozo, who was busy blankly staring at the white wall in front of him, and he glared at him, hoping that Bozo would soon turn his head and get the message.

"Man, do you know how mother fuckin' long it's been since I've had a _drink_?" Bacardi asked randomly as he turned to Bozo, his bloodshot eyes wide.

"Do you know how long it's been since I've heard you _talk_?" Bozo asked back as he looked to the short man, and he cocked an eyebrow as he finished up his beat, and with a final knock he placed both his elbows on the table and he leaned over slightly as he continued to stare at Bacardi. "Why are you complaining about it _now_? You know how long its been since that night you-"

"I_ know_," Bacardi growled as he glared at Bozo's grinning face. "For real man, I can't stand this shit."

"So _drink_," Bozo suggested. "I really doubt the boss will notice."

"Man, you're a fucking idiot," Rocco chimed in deeply in his thick accent as he looked up to Bozo, then Bacardi, then back down to his paper. "The Joker notices _everything_. If you touch one fuckin' drop of booze, boss-man will drop you in an instant. And by drop, I mean _kill_."

Like a child, Bacardi sat back and crossed his arms. "I'm considering it," he said as he looked back to Bozo, ignoring Rocco's statement. "Without drinking, I have no reason to live anyway."

"Spoken like a _true_ alcoholic my friend," Bozo said assuringly as he reached over to slap his friend on the shoulder. "I say go all out. Mix that shit in with your coffee n' kool-aid. He won't notice, I'm tellin' ya."

Rocco glared back at Bozo again, and once he turned to grin at him, Rocco rolled his eyes as he turned the page. "Boz', you're more annoying than that fuckin' chick was. _Shut up_!"

"You need to _lighten _up," Bozo said as he looked back to the fat man, and he jabbed a finger in his direction. "Is there _anything_ that makes you happy?"

"Yeah," Rocco said as he lifted his dark eyes to stare into Bozo's. "There is. It's called _silence_. Make it happen!"

Without warning, Joker had suddenly appeared in the kitchen, and all four thugs glanced at him, watching silently as he opened the fridge to take out the carton of orange juice that none of them ever dared to touch. Joker let out a small sigh from his nose as he reached up into the cabinet to easily grab down a glass, and sensing all eyes on him, he cleared this throat before speaking.

"You'd be wise to listen to Rocco, _Bacardi_," Joker growled. He took a slow and steady sip from his glass full of pulp enriched orange juice as he started to turn away from the counter, and Bozo snickered as Bacardi's face went white. "You remember our little deal, yes?"

"Yes, boss," Bacardi mumbled, his blood running cold as his his heart sank into his chest, and he wished desperately he hadn't so stupidly spoken up that morning. Had he known Joker had been in earshot the entire time, he would have gladly continued to keep his mouth shut and sulk like he had been doing for the past few weeks.

Joker leaned his lower back against the counter, and as he did so, his most loyal thugs couldn't help but to find a way to glance at their boss once again as they took in his rather disgruntled appearance. Joker hadn't bothered to wash off his face-paint the night before, and now, with his messy, green hair thrown every which way on the top of his head, the black rings around his eyes had smeared down, mixing with the red to create an award color on his cheeks and over his scars. Paint on his forehead, chin and jawline had been completely wiped off, exposing the skin underneath while remnants of white paint had made their way onto his neck. Finally, after feeling their awkward stares and sensing their nervous swallows and pondering minds, Joker tilted his head up to narrow his eyes on his crew.

"I know I'm pretty," Joker started in a gruff, serious voice as he straightened out his back. "But even the most beautiful people can only take so much _publicity._" He raised his eyebrows, and the moment he had finished talking the four men bowed their heads to revert their attention else where. Shaking his head, Joker glanced towards the arch, and he couldn't help but to wonder just how awful he actually did look. The last thing he needed was _anyone_ thinking that he had gone complete ape-shit over Kat, and that now, because of her absence, he wouldn't be able to sleep, eat, or carry on his day. This was completely _wrong,_ however, for Joker felt as though he had slept _fine_, all his life he had never had an appetite in the morning, and he had plenty to do that day to keep himself busy. With a grunt Joker finished the rest of his orange juice as he tried to clear Kat from his mind, but the moment he had turned to place his emptied glass in the sink, he froze as his eyes focused on the small pile of unopened tea boxes piled on the counter, next to the microwave.

"What are _those_ doing there?" He asked harshly, a little too harshly for his tastes, and he looked over to Rocco as he glanced away from the counter and to the boxes on the counter.

"Oh," he said sourly as he looked back to his paper, and he noisily flipped the page, the sound only worsening Joker's already pounding headache. "I don't know where the fuck she puts those, so I just left 'em there."

"Well put them somewhere else," Joker growled as he placed his glass in the sink, unable to help his distasteful tone, and without another word he turned to exit the kitchen and start down the hallway towards his office. The heavy silence he had left his thugs in inside the kitchen had followed him into his office, and once he had shut the door loudly behind him he happened to glance over to his right, his stomach dropping slightly as he took in his sloppy and _pathetic_ looking appearance. He growled from behind gritted teeth as he marched over to his desk, and in a tiny fit of rage he swatted Kat's shoe from it with the back of his hand, not bothering to watch where it landed as he angrily plopped down in the chair. He took in a deep breath as he tapped his fingers quickly and wildly on the desk, deciding instantly that it would be for the best that day if he wasn't around things that reminded him of... _that_ _one girl_...

Kat drummed her fingernails on her mug of steaming tea that sat on the table in front of her, her eyes fixed on the plain, red mug. Selina hadn't stopped going off about Kat eating or drinking something, insisting that it would 'help her feel better' and give her a better start to the day, so finally Kat had told her a cup of tea would do the trick, even though she knew it wouldn't. Selina wasn't thrilled Kat had only requested tea, but she knew it was a start, and she was happy to fix it for her. Now, the three women all sat around the table again, and while Selina sat quietly in her chair, tracing her fingertip around the rim of her mug, Mayven was picking out another doughnut from the box.

"So, Kat," Mayven started after she had taken a bite, and Kat lifted her head to look at the young brunette. "I just can't get over what _happened_ to you. I just really can't imagine. I mean being new to the city, trying to find yourself, and them _wham-o_! You're suddenly held captive by _the Joker_."

"I wasn't trying to _find_ myself," Kat immediately protested in a low and serious tone, easily ignoring the rest of what Mayven had said, and despite her slightly surprised face, Kat went on. "I came here to start my own life, to get away from my parents. I know exactly who I am, no matter _where_ I am."

_ Liar_. Kat frowned to herself as the word echoed through out her head, and she glanced back down to her full mug of tea. This had once been true, but ever since Joker had come into the picture, and ever since he had shown Kat a more humanistic side of him, she had discovered a slightly more sensitive and even more compassionate side of her, as well. It made her nearly sick to know she had allowed herself to develop such strong feelings over a man, something she had once vowed not to let happen.

"Oh, w-well," Mayven started to stammer, and Selina looked over to her long time friend with a frown. "I-I didn't mean that. I just meant... it must have been scary."

"It wasn't that bad," Kat mumbled as she finally lifted her mug to take a small sip, and she kept her eyes focused on the table in front of her as she swallowed.

"Mayven," Selina quickly interrupted her way into the conversation, and after glaring at Kat for a short second she looked back to Mayven. "Can you please call Dr. Hennessy to see when he can look at Edward's paw? His limping is getting worse."

"Oh, of course," Mayven said, and she immediately stood from the table and began to collect all the empty dishes while Kat was left wondering how many cats Selina actually had. She hurriedly placed them into the sink and turned to head over to the door, but before she pushed past it she glanced back to Kat. "I didn't mean to offend you, Kat," she said. "Your story is just amazing and I- I guess I'm just glad he didn't do any more damage. I'm glad you can feel safe here."

Without another word, she disappeared out of the kitchen, and Kat's eyebrows met in the middle as she glanced up to Selina, that morning grouchiness surfacing once again. "What exactly did you tell her, Selina?" Kat pondered as she narrowed her eyes on the blonde.

"I told her what happened," Selina said in the same tone. "I said that-"

"The Joker didn't do any _damage_ to me," Kat interrupted. "Get your facts straight before you tell people 'my story'." Kat quickly stood from the table, and she grabbed her mug before she rounded the table to head over to the sink, and just as she tipped the mug upside down to pour out the tea, Selina was quick to stand from the table herself.

"Do you _hear_ yourself, Kat?" Selina started. "I'm trying to _help_ you. I _rescued_ you from that psycho and I'm giving you a damn place to live. I'm letting you stay here as long as you want. Perhaps you should stop being a brat and be more appreciate? More _thankful _that your life is no longer in danger?"

"It was never in danger!" Kat argued as she turned to face Selina, her eyes wide.

"Are you saying you were _happy_ being there with him?" Selina asked as she placed her hands on her hips, her own eyes just as wide, and Kat watched as her earrings dangled back and forth before she rolled her eyes with a sigh, and she looked away from Selina to stare at the table to her left. "This is what I mean by _damages, _Kat," Selina said in a lighter, smoother voice. "He's left you confused, and you've forgotten what normality is. Maybe normality isn't exactly the right word... but you're free here, and _safe_. You say you know who you are, but in my opinion the Kat that _I know_ would rather _die_ before she let the Joker do that to her neck, or accompany him to some underground club wearing some slutty dress. Are you kidding me, Kat? Are you _kidding me_?"

Kat sucked in a giant breath through her nose, Selina's words piercing and stinging her heart as they repeated themselves in her mind. She rolled her eyes before she looked back to Selina, and she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Fine, you're right. I'm _damaged_," she said somewhat sarcastically as she narrowed her eyes. "But you didn't know me all that well in the first place, so you have no idea if I would have rather died or not. Yes, I'm glad to be away from him, and yes, I'm _thankful_ you're helping me out, but I can't just sit here and be pitied based on the exaggerated story your telling. You weren't there, you don't know, so _don't_ talk about it."

Selina breathed in deeply through her nose as she raised her eyebrows. "Well, then," she started. "I didn't know you were so keen on defending him..."

"I'm not," Kat argued.

"Kat, please. You kept that rose he gave you! And your tone completely contrasts with how _'thankful_' you are."

Kat sighed as she shook her head, and she uncrossed her arms as she started to turn around. "I'm going to shower," she stated, deciding that she was through talking about it. Selina sucked in another breath as she calmly tried to stop herself from an outburst at her stubborn friend, and rather than calling her out more, she silently watched Kat push past the swinging doors, and she listened as Kat stomped past the living room and up the stairs.

Anger continued to swell inside Kat and cause her blood to boil, but with deep, even breaths she tried to keep it under control as she opened the door to the guest room to step inside. Deep down, she knew what Selina was saying was partly true, and Kat knew that a part of her, perhaps, wasn't ready to be taken from Joker, especially after she had started to accept her situation, as odd as that was her. But she couldn't _stand_ being talked about, and she hated how sorry Mayven was for her, and how Selina only wanted to _help_. Kat didn't want help, she was perfectly capable of taking care of herself, and she didn't need to be pitied.

Just as she had turned around from the door, she jumped slightly when she saw saw movement on the bed from the corner of her eye, her heart racing. But a small breath of relief escaped her once she noticed it had been Murphy who had moved on the bed, his long tail swaying slightly as he looked up at Kat. She plopped down at the edge of the bed, prompting Murphy to immediately leap off the bed, and he walked across the room before stopping near the dresser where he then proceeded to lick his paw, his eyes closed. With thinned lips, Kat opened the top drawer of the night table next to her, and she quickly picked up the rose, some of the petals staring to dry and shrivel. She stared at the red object for a long time, her thoughts racing just as fast as her heart was. Maybe she had been silly to keep the rose... maybe keeping any remembrance of the Joker would halter Kat's ability of moving on with her life. Maybe Selina had been right...

With a final huff on the situation that morning, Kat stood from the bed and stormed over to the bathroom, and without a second thought she dropped the rose into the small trash basket located near the door before she disappeared inside.

–

Bozo, Rocco and Henshaw had been enjoying a cigarette on the porch, Rocco and Henshaw lost in their thoughts while Bozo secretly enjoyed the setting sun disappearing behind the trees in the distance, when the noise of a loud, rumbling car came into sudden earshot, causing them to glance to the end of the driveway. A short second later, all three men watched as a black, Dodge Charger slowly crawled up the driveway, the gravel cracking from under the tires, until its reflecting, chrome rimmed wheels came to a sudden, slightly squeaking halt on the gravel in front of Joker's rundown house and hideaway. The thugs watched the outline of the owner within, shielded due to tinted windows, as he took his keys from the ignition, and with a final drag of his cigarette he opened the door to the Charger, and after tossing the cigarette butt onto the driveway in front of him, he stepped out of his car.

With frowning faces, the thug's eyes traveled from the visitor's black, heavy boots, to his leather pants, to his black, leather coat and finally they focused on his face, and they were unable to help but roll their eyes as Joey started up towards the porch, cracking his knuckles as he did so.

"Joey," Bozo started blandly once Joey had reached the porch, and as he glared up at him, Joey glanced down at Bozo with a small grin. "Is too rude of me to ask why you're here?"

"It's not rude at all, Brian," Joey said easily, ignoring the thug's nickname. "But it is none of your business," he smirked.

"I guess you won't be going inside in then," Bozo returned in the same, easy tone as he leaned back against the porch, and he glared up at Joey as he took another long drag from his cigarette, and he cocked an eyebrow while Rocco and Henshaw continued to glare at Joey.

Unable to help but to roll his his own eyes, Joey shook his head as he glanced up towards the sky, a small grin appearing on his face as he looked back down to Bozo. "Cute," he said. "For a second there I _almost_ felt threatened. If you must know, I got business to take care of with Sir Psycho," he said. "He in his office?"

"Business?" Rocco asked skeptically. "_What _business."

"Not sure," Joey answered, not bothering to glance at Rocco as he shifted his gaze from Bozo to the screen door, and he peered inside the dimly lit house. "He didn't say. So if you brotha's would _excuse _me..."

The three thugs watched as Joey stepped onto the porch, large frowns plastered onto their faces, and once Joey disappeared inside they rolled their eyes unison before going on to talk about their hatred towards Joker's only friend.

Inside, Joey slowly made his way further into the house, his boots making loud and heavy thumping noises on the wooden floor. He peered into the empty living room before glancing up the stairs, where he found all three doors on the level to be opened slightly. An eyebrow cocked, he stopped before the stairs, wondering where Joker was, until a slight thumping noise caught his attention. He looked towards the hall, where he found Joker's office door to be closed, and with a grin he stepped over to it. After lifting his fist to leave three heavy knocks on the wooden door, he glanced to his right to look into the dark and empty kitchen, but his gaze was reverted away when he heard Joker's voice call from behind the door.

"_What_?"

Figuring that was his cue to go inside, Joey bravely turned the handle and gently pushed open the door. He took a step inside, peering past the door as he did so, and he cocked an eyebrow when he found Joker to be sitting at his desk. He anticipated for Joker to bark at him, instantly demanding to be told why Joey had entered his office without cordially being invited inside, but Joker didn't even glanced over at his friend as he closed the door behind him. As he approached, he couldn't help but to grow more and more confused, and his eyebrows furrowed as he stared at the lone, black stiletto that lay on the ground a few feet from the desk before he lifted his eyes to Joker. He stood in front of the desk, silently watching as the clown sat hunched in his chair, his feet placed up on the desk at the side of the monitor, his face in the shape of a scowl as he focused on his game of Free Cell. By now Joey was _certain_ something was seriously off around the house, and once Joker had placed the final card in the slot to win the game, Joey cleared his throat.

"Since when do you play _Free Cell_?"

"Since when do you enter my office without my, uh... _blessing_?" Joker returned in a dark, grave voice, and Joey couldn't help but to grin. So he_ had_ noticed. With a small sigh Joker took his feet down from his desk, and he swiveled his chair to the right to face Joey, and he glanced up towards his friend with a cocked eyebrow of his own.

"I guess since you started playing card games on your computer," Joey returned. "Where's you're gal' pal?" His grin widened, but it immediately faded once Joker let out a loud, very annoyed growl and he stood from his desk as he rolled his eyes.

"She's not _here_," he answered lowly. "What, exactly, are _you_ doing here, Joseph?"

Joey watched as Joker rounded his desk, his eyebrows furrowing as he took in Joker's restless appearance, and he was unable to help but wonder why Joker looked so beat up. Growing more and more impatient, Joker glanced over to Joey with his eyebrows raised, and he paused at the corner of his desk.

"Y-you asked me to come over..." Joey said slowly. "The other night at the meeting, remember?"

Now, Joker furrowed his eyebrows as he tried to desperately recall him doing so. Oddly enough, an image of him speaking those words that night of the meeting didn't come to mind, and instead all he saw was the silhouette of Catwoman's body, looking exactly as it had as she slowly approached them from across the dark and cold street... He blinked rapidly suddenly as he forced the image out of his mind, a wave of annoyance and anger overcoming him, but he tried desperately not to let this show. The last thing he needed was for Joey, or his thugs, to notice just how out of sorts he was. But upon thinking this now, Joker took in a deep breath as he harshly told himself he was _fine, _and once he had forcibly rid his thoughts of anything Kat related, he finally remembered what he wanted to tell Joey, though he still couldn't remember _actually_ inviting him over.

"Ah, right," Joker said, forcing his dark and low tone back to that normal, somewhat clowny one. "I have a _favor _to ask of you."

"_Super_," Joey replied sarcastically. "Does this have to do with your crazy, _Mayor Plan_ or whatever?"

"As a matter of fact, it _does_," Joker growled slightly, not enjoying his friend's skepticism over his large and diverse plan. He leaned away from his desk as he started to slowly walk past Joey, his gaze immediately falling on Kat's discarded shoe. As he approached, it was tempting to kick the shoe away from him, but it would only cause Joey to question his strange behavior, and Joker was in _no_ mood to discuss what had happened to Kat or his _feelings _over the matter. "This coming Friday Mister _Hill_ is going to be at that new... _childcare hospital _or whatever, for its grand opening-"

"And, you're planning on actually killing him _that _day?" Joey confirmed with an interruption. "You're psycho."

"Yup," Joker answered blandly as he referred to both Joey's question and comment. "He'll get there around elven, stay 'till about one, and then leave in his limo to go back home, or uh, so he thinks... _This _is where you come in."

Joey raised an eyebrow as he stared at his friend skeptically, and he crossed his muscular arms over his chest as he shifted it weight to his left foot. He continued to watch Joker as he took one last step away from the shoe, and after glancing to the black object on the floor then back to his friend, Joker finally turned around with widened eyebrows, prompting Joey to clear his throat.

"Okay," he started slowly. "What's my roll, ol'boss man?"

"You'll be playing the part of the _limo driver_."

–

After a soothing, much needed shower, in which Kat was finally able to calm herself down and forget the foul morning had ever happened, and after she had wrapped herself up in a fluffy, lilac colored towel, the first thing Kat saw upon stepping out of the bathroom and into the guest room, was that her bed had been taken up again by none other than Murphy. Sensing her presence, the small cat lifted its head and glanced over at her, his tail swaying up before falling back down to the bed. Through all lingering feelings of hostility that morning had left on her, Kat couldn't help but to grin slightly at this, and once Murphy had laid his head back down, his back to her, a knock on the door stole Kat's attention away, and once her grin had disappeared, she stepped over to it.

As if perfectly on cue to ruin her day further, Kat found Selina standing on the other side of the door, a small smile on her face as she held more clothes in her arms. Kat glanced down to them before looking back to Selina's eyes.

"I plan on fixing this issue no later than tomorrow. We'll go shopping," she said as she held out the clothes for Kat to take. Kat accepted them, but was already shaking her head in protest.

"No, it's fine. I don't need-"

"Don't need _clothes_? Kat, I don't know how long _you_ think you're going to be staying here... you act like you'll be leaving by Friday. You _need_ clothes, Kat, and I-"

"-_Don't need _you to spend your money on me," Kat finished what she had been saying previously in a low, expressionless tone. She watched as Selina immediately closed her mouth, and she slouched her shoulders slightly. "I can do it myself. I'll get a job, or something," she added in a mumble.

"Kat," Selina started. "Please, don't worry about it. I want to do it. You've suddenly just been thrown back into a normal life after yours was so chaotic. You don't need to rush yourself into normalcy right away. Take your time."

Kat couldn't help but to openly roll her eyes at this as she adjusted her towel, and she ran the cold, hard truth through her head to herself. At first, life with the Joker had been terrible, especially after being forced to read about his haunting past, and she _hated_ him for stealing her from the life she was so desperate to make her own. But eventually, that hate had faded, and transformed into some sick and twisted sexual tension, and ever since that point life with the Joker hadn't been that bad, at all...

"Look, I appreciate what you've done for me, and what you're trying to do. But Selina, I _really_ am tired of hearing how _terrible_ staying with him was. You weren't there. You _don't know_."

Selina's eyebrows met in the middle. "You make it sound like it _wasn't_ terrible, Kat. It was just a matter of time before he killed you, and-"

"He wasn't going to." The second the words escaped from Kat's lips, she immediately wished she could take them back. Her eyes had grown wide, and her lips remained parted, but as a nervous and dizzy energy overcame her, she was quick to back down. Selina was frowning deeply at her, her eyes full of concern as she sighed.

"How can you be so certain about that?" She asked gently, finally deciding that taking a more gentle tone with Kat would prove to be more beneficial, especially since the mental wounds Joker had left on Kat were still fresh.

"He told me," Kat mumbled, feeling more and more like an idiot as she reverted her gaze away from Selina, and without another word she turned around to head back into the guest room. Frowning still, Selina stepped foot into the room after her, and she watched as Kat plopped down the clothes onto the bed, causing Murphy to glance over his shoulder at her before he lazily laid his head back down.

"And you... believed him?" Selina asked cautiously as she stopped just a few feet from the door, and she played with the rings on her fingers as she waited for Kat to answer.

_Yes_, Kat thought to her head, but she didn't dare answer with the truth. "I don't know," Kat said. "I just don't know. I'm done talking about it." She clenched her teeth from behind her closed her lips as she remained glaring at the black, long sleeved shirt that sat on top of the clothes pile. She understood that Selina wanted to help her, and see her get back on track, but at the same time Kat honestly didn't _want_ to be helped. She didn't want to talk about all that had happened, and she didn't want to feel like a burden on anybody. Fortunately, Selina remained quiet from behind her for a moment longer, but once Kat heard her sigh, she braced herself for Selina to go on further with the topic, to repeatedly tell Kat that she was stupid for believing him and the fact that she wasn't openly expressing her hate for him wasn't healthy and brought serious concern to her situation. But these words were never spoken.

"I understand," Selina said. "I really just can't imagine what you went through, but you're right. I wasn't there, I don't know." She bowed her head slightly, and Kat could easily detect the false agreement, but all too quickly Selina was suddenly straightening herself up, and she took another deep breath. "Well, Mayven and I are going to to the vet now."

It seemed as though Murphy had understood this word, and as if thinking Selina was talking about him, his head immediately shot up, and he glanced at his owner with those wide, yellow eyes, prompting Selina to smile over at the cat as his tail swayed against the comforter. Kat had glanced over at the cat as well, and she couldn't help but to grin, deciding that Murphy was probably the only thing that could make her smile at this point. Selina glanced to Kat, and her smile expanded when she saw her friend to be smiling as well.

"If you don't like him in here feel free to kick him out. This is the room he always hides in..."

"It's fine," Kat said, her tone lighter. "I like him."

"Yeah, he seems to like you too," Selina said. "It's odd, because he's usually so shy, and he never lets anyone pick him up... Anyway, I'm not sure how long we'll be gone, probably no longer than a few hours. But _please_ feel free to go into the kitchen and make whatever you want. You really should eat something."

It was tempting to roll her eyes, again, but Kat refrained, and instead nodded to Selina as she silently decided that she wasn't hungry, at all. Selina continued to watch her friend for another silent moment, her lips in the shape of a dramatic frown, until finally she turned around to exit the guest room, and she gently closed the door behind her.

**a/n: fear not, faithful readers, for Kat and Joker will be re-united sooner than you think :) reviews, as always, are greatly appreciated, and don't forgot to add me on facebook (lacey clownqween servidio)! And also, happy birthday to 'deadlady45' :) i hope you have a splendid 21st :)**


	18. When Will This End

If the first two days at Selina's had been awkward, confusing, and above all, frustrating, then Kat had no idea what words she would use to describe her imprisonment at the house for the rest of the week. And imprisonment, really, could not have been a better word. After hearing lecture upon lecture from Selina about why it would be best for Kat to stay in the house, concealed from the 'dangers that were waiting outside of her doorstep', Kat spent all of her minutes, hours and days inside the house, roaming uninterestedly from room to room in search of something to do. Kat was used to being stuck in a house, surrounded by nothing but boredom, but this time around it was different. Rather than subduing herself to painting uncreative things on her walls in her bedroom or holding her breath when in the Joker's presence, she was hoping and praying that Selina wasn't around or would leave her alone, for she was not sure how many more conversations she could have with her.

If it wasn't Selina trying to dig deeper into all that Kat had been through, she was desperately pleading Kat to do things she felt would help her with the 'healing process'. Much to Kat's dismay, Selina seemed to notice everything, from how she barely ate or drank, to how much more grouchy she was, and how late she slept in every morning. Kat continuously shrugged her off, assuring her she was _fine_ and really, did not need anymore help. Honestly, Selina giving her a safe place to stay was enough, and Kat knew it was up to her to decide her next moves, or how she wanted to 'heal' herself. Selina realized this as well, but she was so desperate to see her friend get better and get on track, she couldn't control herself from pushing Kat.

But it wasn't like Kat hadn't started to retaliate. As the days went on, Kat had started to wonder more and more about 'Catwoman', or what had possessed Selina to even consider the idea of crime. It made no sense to Kat, and she had to wonder why Selina was so quick to accuse Joker of being ruthless and incredibly harmful to the city when she was going out and doing nearly the same things he was.

"Honestly Kat, I mean, look at this way. Had you stayed there longer, _you_ could have been forced into a life of crime and murders! If you weren't killed, you could have ended up in jail!" Selina had preached to Kat as they sat at the table late one night. Kat remembered drumming her fingernails against her mug of tea and instantly shaking her head in protest, and she hadn't been able to stop a grin from appearing.

"Well isn't that what your whole _Catwoman_ thing is about, Selina?" Kat's statement had taken Selina by surprise, and she had immediately started to back down, sinking slightly in her chair across from Kat. "You have a lot of room to talk, you know that?"

"Kat, that's different," Selina had assured boldly. But before Selina could go on, Kat was rolling her eyes and standing from the table, and after placing her empty mug into the sink she had left the kitchen without a word, deciding she didn't want to hear Selina's bogus reasons on how what she did was 'different.' Through the rest of the week, Kat had continued to wonder, but her curiosity was not great enough to push her to find answers.

As Kat was left to deal with confusing feelings at Selina's, Joker had managed to find a way to busy himself for the remainder of the week. He drowned himself in work and planning regarding Friday's big plans, and once he had checked and re-checked to make sure all the time frames were accurate, everyone understood their jobs, and he had ensured himself all the goals would be met, he went ahead and double checked the entire plan _again_.

But follow up calls and reading over the fine print was only _so_ time consuming, so when Joker wasn't locked in his office, or taking a quick smoke break outside, or scarfing down pieces of bread or fruit for a quick meal, he was in his bedroom, lazing in bed or taking his time in the shower. For the remainder of the week he had decided that he wasn't sure, still, how he felt about Kat being taken or planning what steps he could take to find her. Rather, he kept himself busy with what was _truly_ important, and decided that once the Mayor Plan was undergo, _then_ he'd start to find a way to find Kat. But regardless of all the work, Joker spent many sleepless nights, tossing and turning as he tried to figure out_ why_ he shouldn't even try to get Kat back in the first place. Granted, the house seemed much more quiet and peaceful, and once he allowed himself to, he was able to focus intently on what he wanted to accomplish for that day, but unfortunately, Kat not being around proved more harmful to him than it did good.

Somewhere down the line, Joker had allowed Kat to become something of importance to him, and because of this, forcing himself to concentrate, at first, always was a daunting and difficult task. Every time he ventured out of his bedroom or office he expected to see Kat in the kitchen, drinking a mug of tea, or in the living room, pouting on the couch. And every time he didn't see these things, his heart would sink into his chest, and the very unwanted feeling always sent a surge of anger through him. More times than not, he found himself staring at Kat's stupid shoe in the corner, but for the life of him he could not bring himself to permanently get it out of his site. So for the remainder of the week it stayed on the floor, tilted on its side, a few feet from his desk.

As if having to be awake and deal with these feelings during the day was bad enough, once Joker would finally fall asleep, his subconscious mind would take over and flash him nothing but images and memories of Kat, and sometimes he even witnessed memories that were not even real between them. These night _terrors_ only caused him to think about them all day the following morning, thus making it hard to concentrate on anything else. But Joker was a logical man, and he figured this was the logic behind why he had been checking over the plan so many times, to make sure his Kat-filled mind had not caused him to leave out anything majorly important. And much to his dismay, he knew that if Kat _was_ there with him, pouting in his presence or falling asleep right next to him every night, that he would have only had to review the plan once, and been assured that it was bullet proof from the get-go.

But now, as Joker's feet moved back and forth to quickly propel him backwards into the alleyway, he had no time to think about Kat, even if he wanted to. He kept his clutch tight on the limo driver's black clothed shoulders as he proceeded to drag him further into the alley while Joey, Bozo and Bacardi slowly followed. Once they disappeared around the corner, Joker let go of the man's shoulders, and he clapped his purple, gloved hands together as he stood to his full, tall height, and he immediately looked to the three men.

"Alright," he started, his voice breathless and clowny. "You two head on over to the hospital, and park on the corner of Murray and 10th. Radio to Rocco once you're there, and tell them to proceed with phase _two._ _Kapish_?" Joker raised his eyebrows expectantly at Bozo and Bacardi, and once they had nodded in understanding they immediately headed towards the hijacked police cruiser. His hands in his pockets, Joker watched as the two thugs disappeared around the corner, and once he noticed Joey step around the body from his peripheral vision, he turned his head back to his friend.

"Alright," Joker was saying now, and Joey took a step back as Joker came to stand in front of the body, and he watched as Joker squatted in front of it before proceeding to grab the man's jacket and hoist him into a sitting position. "Now we gotta deal with ol' Charles."

Joey cocked an eyebrow as he watched Joker stand slightly before beginning to take off Charles' jacket. "Why didn't you just kill him?" Joey wondered. "Why knock him out?"

"Because we don't want to get blood on the uniform, Joey," Joker explained. "And at the mercy of you asking another _stupid _question, you need to put this on."

Now, Joey's eyebrows met in the middle as he took a step back, his eyes wide. "Wait, _what? _Nah bro, I'm not putting on that dudes clothes."

Joker sighed loudly from his nose, and once he had completely removed the black jacket he stood to his full height and turned to Joey. "Uh, you _are_," Joker said as he nodded his head. "And the longer you protest the more time we lose." He flashed him a quick grin before slamming the jacket against Joey's chest, and once Joey had instinctively reached up to grab it, Joker let go and started around him. "Make it quick."

A quick few moments later, Joey appeared from around the corner, a large, defeated scowl on his face. Grinning, Joker leaned away from the brick wall as his eyes roamed over Joey's black pants, dress shirt, black jacket and hat. He nodded his his head in approval.

"_Very _convincing, Joseph," Joker started as he stepped closer to his friend. "You ever consider yourself to be in the wrong business?"

"Fuck you," Joey said. "Homeboy's clothes are two sizes too small! You've got me in fuckin' high waters!" Joey's eyes grew wide as he beckoned to his feet, and as Joker glanced down a snort of laughter escaped from him as he stared at the pants end, just above his white socked ankles. "This is fucking ridiculous."

"You're a _limo_ driver, Joey, not a fashion model," Joker insured roughly with a roll of his eyes. "Nobody is going to see your little -" he cleared his throat, "- fashion _mishap._ Now collect your clothes and lets _go_. Making me late to pick up the mayor may just be the worst mistake you'll ever make."

With a grumble, Joey collected his clothes, and after Joker radioed to two extra thugs on his team to inform them of where the body was and how he wanted them to dispose of them, Joker and Joey made their way into the limo. As Joey started the Lincoln modeled limousine, Joker made himself comfortable in the back, seated in the furthest seat away from the door and next to the small bar. Without a word Joey threw the car into gear, easily pulled away from the curb, and began their twenty minute long journey to the new child's hospital.

–

It was funny to Kat, how drastically things had changed in such a short period of time. When she had first come to Gotham, her only desire was to be _alone. _Alone physically, alone with her thoughts, and alone to constantly do her own thing. But now, after all that had happened with the Joker, and after spending so much time alone at Selina's, Kat was finding herself to get more and more sick of it. From the time she woke up in the morning all the way until dinner, Kat was alone, and it wasn't the kind of loneliness she craved. The giant house creaked, and the rest of Selina's cats annoying scampered all around the house, creating messes Kat had no desire to clean up. Kat wasn't ever one to chew somebodies ear off, but lately, with her lack of voice, her tone always surprised even her when she would finally use it, to the point of her forgetting her thought and not continuing on, much to Selina's dismay. With the only things to do in the house being that of eating and watching TV it seemed, Kat subdued herself to the TV, where she'd spend hours on end staring brain dead at the TV, not entirely comprehending anything about the show she was watching.

Kat knew the truth, but she would never, ever, under any circumstances, speak the truth out loud. But the truth was stuck, like old gum under a table, in the back of her mind, and it came forward to haunt her subconscious at night. She missed the Joker. As horrible as it was, she actually missed being in his presence, and even talking to him. She missed his clowny tone, and she missed his comical ways of dealing with her attitude. She missed sleeping in his bed, and she even couldn't help but to miss their intimate moments. But most of all, she missed just having somebody to talk to, and be around. She honestly wasn't sure how much longer she could on at Selina's.

Murphy, however, was the only one to offer Kat any sort of comforting company. Each and every morning she would wake up to the little, gray ball of fuzz, and a small smile would always come upon her sour lips. The second she wold reach out to gently pet his head, Murphy would instantly purr his way closer to her, lay down, and close his eyes again contentedly as Kat went on to pet him for a few extra minutes. Her day always started out somewhat nice, but the moment she went downstairs to an empty kitchen it immediately started its plunge downhill.

But now, as Kat subdued herself into making a small pot of soup for lunch, she was surprised when she heard one of the kitchen doors swing open, and upon turning her head to the left she watched as Mayven made her way inside, holding what appeared to be three very heavy, plastic grocery bags. Kat watched as she set them down on the table, and as Mayven caught her breath Kat looked back to her pot of soup.

"Hey there," Mayven said cheerfully as she forced a smile. She continued to smile at the back of Kat's head, waiting for her to turn and answer.

"Hey," Kat said glumly as she continued to stir, not bothering to turn and look at Selina's annoying brunette friend and fully acknowledge her presence. Mayven's smile instantly fell into a frown.

"I went to the store," she offered as she inched her way closer to the door, hoping she could convince Kat to help her bring in the abundance of groceries. "We really put it off this time around," she added with a laugh. "There's um... a _lot _of bags out there..."

Kat raised her eyebrows plainly as she nodded. She knew what she was trying to do, but she was not going to give in. She continued to stir, her free hand on her hip, as she stared at the pot. Mayven continued to stare at her.

"You busy?" She went on to ask now as she cocked her head to the side, nervously smiling again. Kat sighed, not sure how much longer she could put up with this.

"Kinda, yeah," she said back to her, glancing at Mayven for a short second before looking back down, continuing to stir. Mayven's eyes dropped down to the pot of soup before they wandered back up to the profile of Kat's expressionless face. She knew damn well that Kat wasn't busy, but Mayven figured the time she spent trying to convince Kat to help her was valuable time she could be spending just doing it herself. So with a small sigh she pushed her way out of the kitchen, defeated, and made her way into the chilly, outside air to the bed of her Ford truck.

Completely unmoved by Mayven's cowardly attempt to get her assistance, Kat poured her soup into a bowl, placed the spoon in, put the pot in the sink, and started up to her room. Just as she turned the corner to go up the stairs, Mayven was just stepping inside, looking completely exhausted as she dragged in four more heavy bags. But Kat easily ignored her and continued up to her room, and without even so much as a second glance back she disappeared inside and closed her door behind her.

–

The mayor's event ended right on a time, and with his knee happily bouncing from within the back of the limo, Joker placed his gold pocket watch back into his pocket. After arguing with Joey for a little over three minutes on the issue, Joey had finally stepped out of the car, high waters showing and all, to stand at the back of the limo to let the mayor inside. Now, he stood with his broad arms crossed in front of his chest, and he glared at the mass of people from behind his dark sunglasses as he waited for the mayor to approach, and seemingly five minutes later, he had. Groups of officers and city officials crowded around him, and once the larger, chubby-ish man approached, Joey flashed him a million dollar smile and opened the car door with his black, gloved hand. Once Mayor Hamilton Hill had ducked into the car, Joey immediately closed the door, and quickly started around the limo to the driver's seat, as directed.

Joker couldn't help but to grin childishly as he started at the mayor, waiting for him to turn and notice Joker. He watched as he leaned up to straighten his pants before slouching back down, and after removing his glasses he set them on his lap before placing his palms to his eyes to rub them, his mind much too distracted to even realize he was not alone. In the front, Joey had quickly started the car and without a word started away from the new hospital.

"Mister Hill, why don't I take these for you?" Joker immediately spoke up, and he grinned as he reached out to snatch the glasses from the mayor as he jumped, his head instantly shooting over to the Joker. His mouth fell open as his eyes bulged, his heart instantly beginning to race as he searched for words, and instinctively he pushed himself closer to the door, away from Joker, as Joey continued to speed down the road.

"Let's not doing anything _stupid_, Mister Mayor," Joker started as he looked over his glasses. The mayor watched breathlessly as Joker put on the lenses, and he watched as the clown's eyes went wide. "You're blind as a _bat, _Hamilton!" Joker exclaimed as he held his hands away from his face, his fingers spread, and he turned to look at the fuzzy image of the frightened mayor sitting next to him. Up in front, Joey rolled his eyes with a grin as he glanced into the rear view mirror, and he shook his head as he looked back to the road.

"Your _horrible _site is such a pity, Mister Mayor," Joker went on as he took his glasses from his face, and after looking at them for a moment longer, he easily broke them in half, and he tossed them to the floor in front of him. "You won't need those anymore for where you're going, though," he went on. "Perhaps in the _afterlife_ you vision will be corrected, hmm?"

Joker flashed Hamilton a wicked smile as his eyes went even wider, and the poor mayor felt frozen and defenseless as he wondered desperately how to escape this. His heart pounded against his chest as his blood went cold, and he felt lightheaded as Joker scooted closer to him, flipping open his blade.

"Oh yes, you heard me correctly," Joker assured as he placed the blade to the mayor's throat. "You see, I believe this city deserves a better counsel of leadership. I've lived here for quite some time, and over the years I've come up with ideas on how we can make our dear and beloved _Gotham City _a much more... _pleasant _place, if you will." Joker nodded his head before going on. "You, Mister _Hamilton Hill_, just don't do it for me. Behind the scenes, _I _believe I could run this city better than _you_ and your _officials_ ever could! And come this November, when my own, personal candidate is elected, the city will see that. Mister _Conrad Gibbins _will do _fabulously_, as long as _I'm _the one directing him. But you see, Hilly, I can't give this city the mayor it deserves while _you're _still around. So, I suppose that only leaves one thing to do..."

"No! Please!" The mayor finally began to protest. "_Please! _I-I'll resign! I'll leave the city and state! Please don't k-kill m-me!"

"Oh, no, no, _no_, Mister Hill," Joker interrupted as he calmly shook his head. "Where would the fun in that be? And how could I ever trust you with something like that?"

"Please," the mayor went on. "J-just trust me! I-I have a f-fam-"

"A family!" Joker finished. "I have a _wife _and a young boy! I even have two puppies I've come to love!" Joker continued to mock, Joey laughing in the front seat to himself all the while. "You really think _I _care, Hamilton? Do you know how many _people_ try to make that plead to _me_ before I do the deed? As if they think I can _relate_? I've got news for you. I _don't _have a family. I have no wife, no _children, _and I certainly have no desire for pets. Is there any other _plea _you'd like to try and convince me with?"

The mayor was at a loss for words as he thought, his mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. "Money!" He exclaimed. "Anything! Just, p-please-"

Joker shook his head. "I've got plenty of that, Hilly, and truthfully, believe it or not, money does not sway me. Joey?" Joker asked as he looked to the direction of his friend. "Change of plans, head on over to the house and radio Rocco to tell the boys."

Joey did not question his new command, and instead he did as he was told as Joker turned back to the mayor. "Try not to worry about your family, Hamilton," Joker said. "They, and the rest of your committee, will be joining you soon."

Before the mayor had time to speak another word, Joker immediately slid his knife easily across Hamilton's throat, and he watched as the beautiful, crimson liquid poured from his neck, spilling and puddling on the floor and seat, but Joker was unmoved by this as he watched Gotham City's dear mayor die a slow and painful death, all while Joker's own heart raced excitedly.

"Bye, bye Mayor Hilly," Joey said from the front as he finally took off his stupid, black hat.

"Bye, bye indeed," Joker started with a grin.

–

"I'm so sorry Selina, it just totally slipped my mind! And I can't even remember if I wrote it on the list!"

"It's fine Mayven, don't worry about it," Selina assured gently as she placed a giant pot on the stove.

"Forgetting _potatoes _for the _stew_!" Mayven was hectically going on as she scurried around the kitchen, only pushing Kat's annoyance further as she sat at the table.

"Mayven really, it's not a big deal. It was a big grocery trip, I would have been surprised if you didn't forget anything. I'll just run to the store and I'll-"

"Can I come?" Kat interrupted, and Selina and Mayven both turned to glare at her, surprised. Kat ignored Mayven as she started into Selina's blue eyes, and she rose her eyebrows.

"Kat, I don't if that's a good idea..." Selina began.

"It's fine," Kat started as she stood from the table. "I can't take being cooped up in this house much longer," she went on. "It's unhealthy," she added, and she tried not to grin when she saw Selina's expression change.

"Fine," Selina began. "I guess you're right. Mayven, we'll be back no later six. Could you please cut up the vegetables and feed the cats?"

After glancing at the time, Kat started towards the front door and slipped her feet into a pair of flip flops Selina had let her borrow, suddenly eager to leave. Granted it was just a trip to the store, but Kat honestly was tired of spending day after day in the house, alone, and she knew this trip would prove to be ridiculously beneficial.

"Are you sure?" Selina asked as she approached Kat, and she opened the door to allow her friend to step outside.

"I'm sure," Kat said.

"What if somebody spots you?" Selina protested on. "Kat, honestly, I don't think I'm comfortably with-"

"What are the odds of that?" Kat asked back as she opened the passenger side of Selina's car. Selina thinned her lips as she got into her car, figuring Kat was right, and after starting the vehicle and backing down the driveway she started the ten minute drive into town.

The ride had been silent, which Kat was fine with. She was desperate to be out of the house, but she did not long for a conversation with Selina. Fortunately, as they made their way into the warm store, Selina didn't talk much, and instead took her time with heading over to the produce section. But little did Kat know, as she held on to the sack of potatoes and stood in the baking isle next to Selina, two _very _familiar men had just stepped foot into the store.

"Is he joking with the time to be doing this?" Bacardi sourly asked as Bozo left him to grab a shopping cart. "Grocery shopping at five thirty? Where's that stupid bitch when you need her..."

"Is it really that bad?" Bozo pondered as the walked deeper into the store. "Look, we'll go around, pick up a few things, and leave. Simple."

"_Simple_," Bacardi mimicked. "Whatever."

With a roll of his eyes Bozo ignored his friend and fellow thug and lead him into the isle directly next to Kat and Selina's. His eyes glazed over the various bags of chips and snacks as he debated on what to get, but a particular conversation and name popping up from the other side of the shelf was quick to immediately catch his attention.

"_I'll let you pick, Kat, what kind do you want_?"

"_I don't care. I don't like cake._"

Selina laughed. "_Who doesn't like cake? Even I like cake!_"

"Would you move? What the fuck is taking you so long?" Bacardi spoke up sourly as he purposely bumped into Bozo with the cart. He couldn't help but to jump, however, when Bozo instantly faced him, his finger pressed to his lips, and he listened to the conversation further. Silently, be bent down slightly to peer through the shelf, and a devious grin slid onto his lips as he stared at Kat's flat face on the other side. With the grin never leaving his face, he motioned for Bacardi to follow him and he snaked his way into a different isle.

"I just saw _Kat_!" Bozo said excitedly. "You know what this means?"

"No," Bacardi answered flatly.

"It means we've just stumbled on the opportunity to bring her back, my friend."

"Why would we do that?" Bacardi asked. "We hate her."

"Boss man doesn't. And I'm betting he'll be pretty happy to hear that _we _know where to find her."

"That's real heartfelt of you," Bacardi said. "I'm touched."

"Fuck you," Bozo went on. "What not a better way to go up in the ranks? Picture Rocco's face. I bet he'll even let you drink again."

Now Bacardi considered this. "You think?"

"There's only one way to find out," Bozo answered as he glanced up, and he watched as Kat and Selina started towards the checkout lines, their back to the thugs. "Lets go."

After discarding the cart, Bozo and Bacardi lingered in the candy isle, waiting for the girls to pay, and once they had, they discretely followed the women to the parking lot, keeping a safe and undetected distance as they headed to their own car. Once Selina and Kat had gotten settled and started out of the parking lot, Bozo pulled out of his own space to follow.

"What are you going to do if they see us?" Bacardi asked as he glanced over at Bozo.

"They won't," Bozo said. "I've done this plenty of times, I know what I'm doing."

Bacardi rolled his eyes. "What's Joker gonna say when we come home with no food?"

Bozo shrugged. "He won't care once we tell him the news."

Bozo followed Selina's small car through the city, noticing when buildings turned into an abundance of trees until forests surrounded the four lane road. Finally, nearly ten minutes later, he slowed his truck as Selina turned left onto a private street, and as he slowly drove past he watched as she climbed the small hill, and shining in the distance behind the abundance of trees he could make out a bright porch light.

"Misty Morning Drive," he read the street. "And bingo was his name-o."

With a small sigh Kat stepped out of the car, holding their one and only grocery bag, and she followed Selina into the house.

"Was it worth it?" Selina asked with a grin as Kat followed her towards the kitchen.

"I guess," Kat answered with a shrug. She was just about to elaborate, but the sound of the news anchor on the TV behind her was quick to catch her attention.

"_Mayor Hamilton Hill went missing today after his speech at the new childcare hospital_," the female anchor informed just as Kat spun around to stare at the TV. "_Police are baffled as to where he went or what happened, and Commissioner Gordon has ordered an extensive search to be done all through the city." _

Kat stared wide eyed at the TV as she continued to listen to the anchor report on, talking about something that had to do with a bomb going off near the mayors office, but she was not comprehending any of it. There was only one thing running through Kat's mind: Joker.

"Crazy," Selina was saying as she shook her head. "To me, that only spells out _one _name," she went on. "Kat?"

Slightly started, Kat instantly turned to face her, and she watched as Selina cocked an eyebrow. "Did you know anything about this?"

"No," Kat answered falsely, trying to sound as convincing as she could. "I didn't."

"Selina, you're not still going to go out, are you?" Mayven asked now as she stood from the couch. "The police are going to be everywhere."

"I'll be fine," Selina assured as she handed Mayven the grocery bag. "I know what I'm doing."

Kat started towards the stairs silently, figuring Selina and Mayven were talking about her latest 'Catwoman' scheme, but she didn't care. For some reason or another she found it rather starting to indirectly hear about Joker on the news, and suddenly her mind couldn't comprehend much else. She opened her door gently before closing it behind her, and she immediately started towards her trashcan to peer inside before she gently lifted her nearly completely wilted rose from within. Of course it made sense that Joker would go on with his plan, but she couldn't help but to be slightly hurt by this.

With heavy and sad , she plopped down onto her bed, startling Murphy, and she stared at the rose in her hand. As much as she hated it, she had practically stopped living ever since staying with Selina. Not a day went by that Kat didn't think about Joker, and in the back of her mind she couldn't help but wonder if he did the same with her. But now it seemed the deal was sealed, and she'd have to face the facts. She figured it was safe to assume that Joker had completely moved on, and she knew she'd have to do the same.

A tear slid down her cheek, and in a fit of sudden anger she slammed the rose down on the end table, angry for even letting her emotions get the best of her. What happened to hating him? What happened to wanting to escape him? How had spending just a week and a half away from him completely warped her thoughts and caused her to actually _miss _him? It made no sense.

With a huff Kat stood from the bed and she made her way towards the bathroom, deciding a shower would maybe help calm her down and accept the facts, once and for all.

–

Back at the house, Joker had just changed from his purple attire into a more simple, black and white ensemble, and after finishing the rest of the orange juice he was just about to head into his office when the front door bursting open was quick to grab his attention, and he watched as Bozo made a beeline towards him.

"Normally, and correct me if I'm wrong," Joker started as he took a step towards Bozo. "When one goes to the _grocery _store, they _usually_ come back _with _groceries."

"Oh, you're correct," Bozo said, a smug grin on his face. "But one does not come back with groceries when one encounters someone very _familiar_ at the store and follows them _home_."

Bacardi rolled his eyes as he started towards the basement, but Joker's interest had been completely peeked, and he narrowed his eyes on Bozo's as he waited for a further explanation.

"I saw Kat."

Joker's eyes widened slightly now. "_Really_," he growled.

"Really," Bozo repeated. "I followed her and the blonde back to her house. Misty Morning Drive," he told Joker the street name.

Now, it seemed as though everything had suddenly changed. Now that Joker had to put no work in finding Kat himself, and now that he had finally killed the mayor, he found the desire to bring her back home was strong. A smirk of sorts formed on his face as he nodded his head once.

"Round up the boys, Bozo," Joker said as he started toward the front door. "We're going on a little _field trip_."

**I apologize for the long wait, but I'm finally finished with my first semester of college, which means I'll have a lot more time to write now! i know this chapter was a little boring, but trust me, you'll love me for the next, and since it's already finished, I'll post it the second I get an acceptable amount of reviews on this one. Keep in mind, however, that this chapter marks the beginning of the end for this story. Aww :( But fear not! A sequel is under works for the future!**

Hope you enjoyed! And if you didn't, I KNOW you'll enjoy the next. But YOU know what you gotta do to get it! :P

-L. Michele


	19. I Smile While You're Afraid

The bathroom swelled with steam as Kat gently stepped out of the shower, water droplets dripping from her hair and body, and the intensity of the droplets started to form a small puddle of sorts around her feet on the maroon colored bathroom rug. Ignoring her body's current wet state for the moment, she grabbed her deep red towel from the rack above the toilet and ran it vigorously through her hair before she wrapped herself up in the thick fabric. With a sigh, she reached over to place her palm on the mirror, and she wiped some of the condensation from the glass before she stared into her own, restless eyes through the reflection. She held contact for a minute as the mirror began to fog up again, unable to help but think back to the news story she had previously watched and the particular memories of a particular person the segment had brought back, until a familiar meow from the other side of the bathroom door snapped her out of her trance-like state of mind, and with a blink she turned to face the door.

However, no hint or forewarning on Earth could have ever prepared Kat for what she saw upon opening the door to step into the guestroom. There, laying back casually on her bed, his black, gloved hand idly pivoting her wilted rose from the stem over the end table, sat the one man Kat was beginning to think she'd never see again. She paused at the door as her hand touched the frame to hold on for support, openly gawking as her jaw fell to the floor, her heart racing. He glanced up casually as if he had been waiting for her, and he had, while the largest shock of Kat's life ran up her spine as a malicious grin formed on his red, painted lips.

"Hello there," the Joker finally spoke, and his clowny, raspy voice was just as Kat remembered. His wide grin turned into a crooked smirk, and he cocked a painted eyebrow as he allowed his eyes to roam down Kat's body, the body that once belonged to _him_, and the body he planed on taking back _that _night. He greatly enjoyed the way Kat was openly staring at him, unsure of what to say, and he let the rose drop from his fingers onto the end table before he finally stood from the bed. Kat's eyes quickly roamed over his body, and she felt her knees quiver at the site of his white button up shirt, black suspenders, and black, pinstripe pants.

"J-Joker...?" She finally spoke, her voice quivering, and she tried to decide whether or not this was a dream. It was all so random, and her heart had never stopped pounding as she finally stepped closer to him.

"In the flesh," he said in an excited tone, his eyebrows rising for a moment, and he titled his head down once Kat had fully approached him, half of his face engulfed by shadows due to the only dim light from the lamp. It was ridiculously tempting to reach out and touch her, and Joker hated himself for even having the urge, but he reminded himself that there was probably a good chance that Kat would not want to be rescued, and at any minute he expected her hostile attitude on the subject to surface. But judging by the way she continued to openly gawk, and the way she had so instantly and mindlessly approached him, Joker figured his chances of easily taking her back were good.

"How did you... how did you know where I was?"

"Ah," Joker said, and he shifted his weight onto his right foot as he straightened up slightly. "Bozo and Bacardi spotted you at the store, you see," he began his story in a low, grim voice. "And followed you and _Selina_ back here." He pointed to the floor.

_Incredible_, Kat thought to herself. The _one_ time she had actually chosen to go out...

"You seem awfully tense," Joker went on in a casual tone of voice. "Are you, uh-" he cleared his throat, "- _enjoying_ your stay at the Kyle residence?"

"Hardly," Kat murmured truthfully as she looked away, and she tightened her grip on the towel she clutched over her chest, trying, but failing, to resist her sudden urges of being so close to him. But upon glancing back up to him to look into his eyes that were focused intently on hers, a smirk on his lips, Kat knew she wouldn't be able to hold herself back. But she didn't give herself the opportunity to try, for a split second later she was already rising onto her toes to press her lips firmly against Joker's. He reacted quickly, and his hands instantly flew to her hips, his grip tightening as Kat kissed him harder. She put every emotion she had felt over the past week and a half into the kiss, ranging from anger to sadness, relief to hurt, while Joker was left to do the same.

Their lips never parting, Joker turned their bodies around, and with a swift motion he pushed Kat onto the bed as he fell down on top of her, the headboard loudly clanking against the wall. Kat's hands griped his fading, green hair as she allowed Joker's tongue to dance with her own, and Joker took the opportunity to part Kat's towel before sliding his fingertips down her soft and dripping body. A small moan escaped from Kat as she gripped his hair harder, and as Joker growled slightly she was left to wonder if this was all a dream.

It was so unlike her, she knew, but Kat was prepared to continue with Joker until the end right there in that very bed, until the noise of footsteps in the hallway outside of her door made themselves known. Kat had just slid her hands from Joker's hair and onto his broad shoulders, when a seemingly very loud, and _very _unwanted knock on the door was heard.

"_Kat_?" Came Selina's somewhat breathless sounding voice on the other side of the door. Kat and Joker broke the kiss, and with wide eyes Kat stared up at Joker, her heart pounding nervously. "_Kat? I heard some kind of noise, is everything alright?" _

Wondering why Selina was home so early, Kat continued to stare up at Joker while Joker stared down into her eyes, and a short second later an evil grin slid onto his lips. Kat's breath hitched in her throat at the site of Joker's evil expression, and she slid her eyes closed as he slowly leaned down, and he planted a small kiss on her neck before speaking.

"What do you say we teach Selina a little _lesson_, hmm?" He asked Kat gently, even though she had no say in the manner. She finally exhaled out, Joker's lips and breath warm against her skin, and she found herself unable to speak. "I'll take that as a yes."

"_Kat_?" Selina knocked on the door again, growing impatient, and Kat rolled her eyes as she leaned up. Joker was standing now, staring down at her, and once Kat looked up to him she watched as he raised his eyebrows and nodded towards the door, indicating that she should answer.

"Y-yeah, I'm fine," Kat finally said to her, and she quickly stood from the bed to head over to her dresser while Joker leaned on the wall, on the left side of the door.

"_You sure_?_ You sound...odd."_

As Kat slipped on a pair of underwear from underneath her towel she glanced at Joker, unable to help but grin as she watched him heavily roll his eyes and shake his head. She was unsure of what Joker's next move was, and admittedly she felt ridiculously nervous, but she sensed that Joker would probably appreciate it if she hurried with dressing, and once she had thrown on a black t-shirt Selina had given her and a pair of very uncomfortable dark skinny jeans, Kat silently headed back over to the Joker.

"_Kat_?" Selina went on to ask, and the blonde furrowed her eyebrows as she finally took off her mask and glasses, and she ignored the messy state of her curly hair for the moment. "_Do you mind if I come in_?"

Once Kat had approached Joker, he immediately placed his cool, leather gloved hands on her slightly exposed hips, and he grinned down at her, trying desperately to ignore the rather excited feeling he had over finally seeing her again. He licked his lips before he leaned down, and Kat turned her head so he could quietly speak directly into her ear. "I want you to open the door, and once she steps in, close it." He leaned away as Kat turned back to him, and once she nodded Joker let his hands slide from her hips, and with a racing heart and shaking legs Kat stepped over to the door.

The second she opened it, Murphy ran out of the room, prompting a small laugh from Selina. Kat stepped back from the door as she held it open, completely shielding Joker from Selina's sights, and she stepped to the side to allow Selina entrance.

"I know you hate being checked on, but just as I got home I heard that noise, and-" Selina paused as she finally stepped into the room. "I guess I'm just worried about you. I'm still paranoid about our trip to the store."

It seemed several things happened at once after Kat had closed the door. Selina had turned around to look at Kat, and once she had, Joker lurched forward, instantly grasping her black leather bound arms, and he threw her against the wall. Startled, Kat instantly flinched and jumped back, but she was unable to take her eyes off of Joker and Selina, noticing the way Selina flinched at the pain Joker's hand brought onto her back as he forcibly held her against the wall.

"_Well, _what do we have _here_," Joker growled as he ran his hand down the side of her body, over the smooth leather of her cat-like outfit. "Did _Pussygirl_ have some late night _errands_ to run? Hmm?"

Selina struggled against Joker with gritted teeth, and she placed her palms on the wall in an attempt to push off from it and escape his grasp, but regardless, Joker proved to be too strong. A million and one thoughts pulsated through Selina's mind, and through the craziness she tried to focus on finding a way to save herself. Screaming, she knew, was definitely not an option. The last thing she needed was to put Mayven in danger, and she knew she could take on the clown once she gained back control. But as she felt Joker's hand slide back up her body to grip her neck, a jolt of pure, loathing anger washed over her, and she turned her head away from him to glare at Kat with wide eyes, her cheek pressed firmly against the wall.

"Kat!" She gasped loudly, frustration laced throughout her voice as she tried to fathom why Kat was just _standing_ there. "Ka-"

"Ah, ah, ah," Joker started as he pulled her away from the wall, holding her by the waist and neck against himself, and he squeezed slightly on her throat to keep her from talking. "_She's_ not going to help you. You see, you did a rather _unkind _act of theft toward me last week." Joker licked his lips. "And I don't like my _property _being taken from me."

Selina gasped for air, but she refused to let herself panic any further as she continued to struggle. Her mind ran wild with thoughts on how she could escape this, but at the same time she was left to desperately wonder how Kat was just letting this happen. Kat's eyes met Selina's, and her lips parted slightly as her heart continued to race, her mind fogging up with nervous confusion.

"Kat?" Joker's smooth, low and even voice broke her trance, and she raised her eyes to stare into his own, glossy and dilated eyes. "Be a dear and go let the boys in, they're waiting at the front door. Tell Bozo to take care of the girl downstairs, and tell the rest to check the house. I don't plan on being more than five minutes here."

"_No_!" Selina gasped hoarsely, and she began to thrash against Joker even more, desperate to save her unknowing friend from danger. Joker merely laughed at her silly attempts, and he started to walk themselves towards the door.

"C'mon _Pussygirl_," he snickered with a wide smile. "Surely Gotham's new cat burglar would have more kick than that!"

Forcing herself not to look back, Kat threw the guestroom door open and immediately started down the hallway and down the stairs, and sure enough, upon opening the front door, Joker four thugs were standing outside, waiting in the chilly night air.

"Joker wants you to... _take care_ of the girl downstairs," Kat repeated lowly as she jerked a thumb behind her, and she lowered her head as Bozo stepped in. "Her name is Mayven."

Bozo snickered as a jolt of joy ran through his body, and Kat instantly glanced up once she heard him cock his hand gun. "_Was_," he corrected her with a grin, and after winking at Kat he started past her to search for the stairs.

Rocco's footsteps were heavy as he stepped into the house, and Kat held her tongue as he stopped in front of her, rudely forcing the others to remain outside. They glared at each other for a minute, but Kat bravely held her ground, and once the rest of the thugs had made their way past, she shut and locked the door, breathing heavily. With so many thoughts buzzing around in her head, and with her body trying to deal with a range of emotions, it made concentrating on anything a rather difficult task. Kat was focusing on on breathing and standing at that current moment as she turned away from the door, but the second she let her eyes slide closed in an effort to calm down, a loud series of screams interrupted her thoughts, and her eyes popped open. Kat stared straight ahead into the living room, feeling horrified as she listened to Mayven attempt to run up the stairs, until the soft sound from Bozo's silenced gun quieted the entire house with one trigger pull. Kat's heart raced faster than ever now as her knees went weak, and the sound of Selina screaming her friend's name sent a shudder through Kat.

_"Mayven_!"

Selina thrashed wildly against Joker, using every muscle in her body to free herself, and Joker chuckled as he continued to walk them toward the stairs. Once they had approached them, however, he slammed Selina against the wall, and he held her in place with his hand pressed to her back, and he leaned against her, breathing in her ear. From directly below the stairs, Kat jumped and turned her head to look up them, and she felt frozen as she stared at Joker and Selina. Selina held Kat's eye contact for a moment, but the moment proved to be much too long, and Kat closed her eyes as she turned away, feeling sick as she stumbled into the living room to plop down on the first lounge chair closest to her.

"So, _Selina_," Joker started. "What made you think if would be _okay_ to kidnap Kat?"

"It wasn't kidnap," Selina spat out angrily as she continued to struggle. "I _saved_ her. Staying with you would have proved to be certain _death _for her."

Joker laughed deeply, a thundering growl that erupted from the pit of his stomach, and Selina tried not to shudder as she felt Joker's hand wander down her body. He paused, however, once his fingers discovered an object held in place by her belt loop, and with a cocked eyebrow he took hold of Selina's whip and pulled it from the loop. A venomous smile of sorts crept onto his lips as he turned back to Selina, and he leaned in closer to her head, cracking the whip as he did so.

"Kat isn't the one who has to worry about _certain death_, _Selina_," Joker started darkly. "_You_ on the other hand..."

Before Selina could anticipate Joker's next move, he gripped a fist full of her hair and pulled her away from the wall, spinning her towards the stairs as he did so. Unable to help it, Selina screamed as she felt herself about ready to fall over, but her screams were cut off instantly as Joker caught her around the neck with her own whip. Lingering on her knees right over the stairs, Selina's hands flew to the black leather around her neck as Joker wound it once more around. Anger, fury and an intense rush overcame him as he placed his foot on Selina's back, and he pushed her forward as he pulled each end of the whip back, excitement bubbling in the pit of his stomach as he listened to her gasp desperately for air. He pulled harder.

In front of him Selina's body jerked as she continued to struggle, her eyes practically bulging from her head as her mouth hung open. Through his rush of excitement Joker waited patiently, and each jerk of Selina's body as she ran out of air sent a shock through Joker that could only be described as pure joy, and he contained himself from shaking with anticipation as he gritted his teeth, pulling the whip as hard as he could on either side of him. But all too quickly, Selina's struggle came to an immediate halt, and once Joker felt her body go limp he let go of one end of the whip and pulled the other back to free Selina's neck, and with a kick he sent her lifeless body toppling down the stairs.

With a violent jerk, Kat immediately jumped out of her seat once the toppling noise from the stairs hit her ears, and she couldn't help but to jump again as the site of Selina's body landed violently on the floor with a loud _thud! _Her mouth flew open as she stared, her eyes wide, and through Selina's hair she was able to make out the large and very bright reddish purple strangle mark around her neck. Her stomach clenched, and just as she was thinking how unbelievable all this was, she heard calm footsteps coming down the stairs. Joker appeared from around the corner of the wall, and after stepping calmly over Selina he made his way towards his shaking prize.

"W-was... th-that necessary?" Kat managed to ask as she glanced up at Joker once he approached her. A mix of emotions fluttered throughout her, and she didn't know whether she should feel frightened to high hell or relieved. But as Joker came down from his killing high, he wrapped his arm around her lower back and pulled her close, and he swayed slightly as he leaned down to press his lips against Kat's trembling ones. A second later he pulled away, and flashed her a grin.

"Of course."

Kat had just parted her lips to speak as a dizzy spell overcame her, but the noise of running footsteps and a loud meow quickly interrupted her thoughts, and upon turning around she watched as Murphy sprinted towards her. Her eyes grew wide as she watched Bozo push through the kitchen doors, and just as he started to raise his gun, Kat immediately leaned down to catch Murphy in her arms.

_"No!_" She yelled loudly, and she squeezed the cat in her arms to near death as she turned towards Joker to give Bozo her back, protecting the small, gray cat. "Don't kill him!"

Confusion swept across Bozo's face as he immediately lowered his cocked gun, and he straightened his body as his eyes flew to his boss. Joker's eyebrows furrowed as he glanced down to Kat, her body stiff against his as she held on to the struggling cat. Watching Kat be so quick to save an animal had been the last thing Joker thought he'd ever see, and he didn't know whether to laugh or slap the cat out of her arms.

"C'mon," Bozo laughed now. "Seriously? I killed all the other ones!"

Joker watched as Kat thinned her lips, but she held her ground as she pressed herself and the cat against Joker, determined not to let Bozo kill the only thing in the house that had ever brought her joy and comfort. After watching Kat act so pathetically, he finally rolled his eyes as he glanced back to Bozo, and he shook his head. Bozo growled as he un-cocked his gun, and with a roll of his own eyes he stomped past Joker and Kat and towards the door, ignoring Selina's dead body.

"You don't plan on bringing _that_ with you, right." This was not a question, and Joker raised his eyebrows once Kat lifted her head to look up at him. Murphy had stopped struggling, and he settled comfortably in Kat's arms as he stared up at Joker himself. Kat seemed to be a loss for words.

"Maybe he can stay in my room," Kat began to offer, and she watched as Joker sighed loudly.

"You of all people, Kitty-Kat," Joker started, the urge to go home growing stronger the longer he stood there. "_Why_?"

"I like him," Kat admitted. "He helped me more than Selina ever did..."

Joker watched as Kat looked back down to the cat in her arms, and he let out another large sigh. He figured the only way he'd be able to leave the house quickly was to grant Kat permission to keep the animal, and he figured that in a day or so Kat would no longer care about it, thus giving him the opportunity to properly dispose of it himself. With a small growl he turned away from her to head over to the door.

"Let's go." Was all he said, and with a racing heart Kat followed him towards the door, Murphy still in her arms, and she made a point not to look at her lifeless friend as she stepped into the cold night.

–

The ride home seemed quick. Bozo drove the black SUV through the icy roads of Gotham with Bacardi in the front, leaving Joker and Kat in the back. Regardless of their intense encounter in the guest room, they sat on opposite sides of the truck, each staring out of their own windows. Joker's knee bounced while Kat idly pet Murphy, and they each watched the scenery pass, noting when buildings and bright lights turned to empty forests and dark shadows.

Once home, Kat followed Joker towards the house, fighting hard not to shiver as snow began to fall and land on her exposed arms. As Joker stopped in front of the door to unlock it, Kat paused behind him and glanced up to the tall and old house, and she couldn't help but to feel slightly nervous about being back. It seemed as though she had been at Selina's for years, and she had a hard time trying to remember how life with the Joker once was. Would they pick up on the same foot they had left off on? Or would all the time apart prove to take a toll on their odd relationship? As Joker pushed open the door to step inside the dark and warm house, Kat figured there was only one way to find out. She stepped inside.

Joker didn't bother to turn on any lights, and he easily made his way towards the stairs, using the moonlight that shone in through the blinds in the living room as his source of light. Kat stared at his feet as he walked, and after reaching the top of the stairs Kat turned to head into her room while Joker opened the door to his. Kat paused in the doorway and switched on the light, and a feeling of awkwardness swept over her as she glanced into her bedroom. Her room was oddly cold, and she shivered as she gently closed the door behind her. She walked over to her unmade bed, and she set Murphy down gently, watching as he immediately curled up next to her pillow. She smiled slightly, but in the back of her mind she was left to wonder just how long Joker would tolerate having a cat around the house. For the time being, she tried to push the thought of her mind, and she stood from the bed to head over to her door, figuring Murphy would probably be appreciative if she was to deliver a bowl of water to him. She eased open her door and stepped into the dark hallway, and she was unable to help but glance over towards Joker's bedroom. But just as she reached the stairs, Joker emerged from his room, and Kat glanced over her shoulder, her eyes instantly taking note of Joker's now bare, washed face and wardrobe change. Now clad in his same black pants with a simple, white wife-beater over his torso, Joker stepped over to the stairs, and he followed Kat down them, pausing at the bottom as she made her way towards the dark and empty kitchen.

"What are you doing?" He pondered, watching as Kat leaned over cautiously through the arch into the kitchen, and after snapping on the light she leaned back to look at his now grinning face.

"Getting Murphy some water," she answered in her trademark, low voice. Joker rolled his eyes, feeling irritated already, and he started towards the empty living room.

"Join me in here when you're done," he tossed over his shoulder, and he plopped down comfortably in his spot on the couch.

Once Kat had delivered Murphy his bowl of water and shut him in her bedroom, and after joining Joker downstairs on the couch, conversation had gone from short, awkward topics until finally Joker told Kat about the mayor's murder, in great detail. The story was twisted, and admittedly made Kat feel slightly sickened, but she tried not to let this show, and instead as Joker talked, she made a point to stare at the TV, tuning Joker out once his story became slightly too discriptive. But now, twenty minutes after the conversation had died down, Kat had gone from sitting up next to him to leaning against him, and somewhere along the line Joker had placed his arm around her shoulders. As time ticked on further into the night, Joker's eyes had begun to close, and as the blue light from the TV flickered onto them, Kat's eyes were let to wander of the various tattoos on his arm that he rested on the arm rest. Her eyes wandered all over his arm, taking in the checkerboard pattern that served as the background of his half sleeve. She stared at the great detail in the ring of fire that circled the bottom of his arm, just above his elbow, and she squinted her eyes at the two cards that sat above two crossbones, the numbers a four of Spades and a seven of Hearts. As she vaguely wondered what relevance those numbers had towards him, her eyes traveled past the drawing of a malicious looking jester on the inside of his arm, and a small shock of sorts sprang through her body as she stared at the small, scripted text on top of his shoulder, just two or three inches down from his neck.

'_RIP S.J.N. 1981-2002_'

Kat swallowed as she re-read the tattooed letters and numbers, and before she could stop herself her mouth was already opening.

"What does '_S.J.N._' stand for?"

Her low voice broke the silence, and Joker's eyes immediately popped open. He lifted his head from the back of the couch and glanced at his shoulder as if he needed to look for himself, and with a slightly annoyed grunt he laid his head back again.

"My brother."

Kat swallowed as her eyebrows furrowed. She glanced back up to Joker's face, and she stared at his closed eyelids before glancing back down to the tattoo to do the math. _He was only twenty-one years old_.

Kat cleared her throat before bravely pondering on. "How'd he die?"

Despite the low volume on the TV, it seemed the entire house went as deathly silent as ever, and Kat nervously held her breath as she wondered if it had been a bad idea to ask. She watched as Joker took in a deep, calming breath through his nose, and judging by the way his eyes tightened and how his eyebrows furrowed slightly, she knew her question had struck some sort of nerve. But as she anticipated for him to throw her off the couch and demand that she _never_ mention those initials again, Joker opened his eyes to glance down at her, and her heart dropped to the pit of her stomach as he flashed her a sinister grin.

"You know," he started, and he lifted his head from the couch again to look into her eyes more directly as she stared up at him. "By asking for the story about my brother, you're also asking for the story behind these _scars_." He nodded his head once, watching as Kat's eyes widened slightly before she corrected it. "You interested?"

"Yes."

Joker cleared his throat, but just as he opened his mouth to begin his story in a 'Once upon a time' manner, he froze, the words catching in his throat. His heart began to slightly race as his mind took him back to that night. He closed his eyes, the scene fresh in his head as if it had only happened yesterday rather than nine years ago. He squeezed his eyes closed as he recalled the soul-shattering scream that had erupted from his brother, and all that blood...

"My brother," he finally started in a low, somewhat clowny voice as he opened his eyes. "Was... really rather... rebellious." He swallowed, wondering why he was even bothering to tell Kat the one and _only_ story that still pulled at his heart strings, even years later, and even after all that he had accomplished in his life. Surely, she was able to make out the small detail of difficulty Joker was currently having, but after debating the issue for a second longer, Joker cleared his throat again, cursing at himself for even letting himself feel any emotion over it at all. After all, had it not been for his brother, Joker knew he would not be the man he was today.

"My dad split when we were still fairly young, so my uh, _mother_ was left to raise two boys alone in a shit-ass house in Detroit. Believe it or not, _I _was the good one, the obedient one. _Scott_, however, was _always _causing her stress."

"Was he older than you?" Kat interrupted in a low, quiet voice, and Joker could sense the nervous stress in her words. He nodded.

"By four years. Despite the added strain he brought on my mother, I had always looked up to him." A grin formed on Joker's face, and he laughed slightly as he shook his head, and he glanced down to the floor. Kat's eyebrows furrowed as she wondered where this story was going, but never in her life had she ever felt more intrigued with Joker. She waited patiently for him to go on, and after Joker had taken his arm away from her to lean back in the corner of the couch, she turned her body slightly to face him, and after she crossed her legs Indian-style in front of her, Joker finally went on.

"He was _always_ sneaking out of the house, and he never listened to her. He dropped out of high school, and spent, literally, all his time at parties or random places or with his rambunctious friends. And meanwhile, while Mommy had to spend what little extra money we had on constantly bailing Scott from jail, little school-boy _Joker_ was left to tend to the house and help Mother as much as possible. Believe it or _not_, Kitty-Kat," Joker growled.

Kat lost all feeling in her jaw as it hung slightly slack, and she tried, but failed, to picture Joker during the time portrayed in his story. After all that she had been through with him, and after all that she had witnessed and read about, she was _positive_ Joker was making this whole thing up. Surely, this was not the same little boy. Surely, Joker had _always_ been broken and psychotic, never helpful or remorseful. Clearly, Joker _was_ insane, and he was simply convinced that this random, little boy's life had once been his own.

But regardless of Kat's slightly shocked face, Joker was going on. "I still –_envied_, I guess you say– Scott. He was his own person, and did what made him happy, and didn't give a _fuck_ about what people thought. I had been stuck in the rut of being the _good_ child for so long I figured I couldn't escape it, or at least I didn't try. But once I was about... _fifteen_, things began to change. School became unimportant, and finally I was following in my brother's footsteps more and more. I still had a soft spot for my mother though, and I never told her about the places I went or what I did. She didn't need anymore stress, especially after she started getting sick."

Kat was frowning now as she stared at Joker, and goosebumps had began to form on her arms. She crossed them, watching as Joker continued to stare at the floor, the TV barely audible any more.

"Were you and your brother... close?"

"Oh, yeah," Joker answered as he nodded slightly. "Some ways more than others. There was times when we'd be getting high in the garage, and we'd just talk, for hours. As I got older I found out we had a lot of the same uh, _morals_ and ideas, and when he was in the right mood and state of mind, he really made known how much of a caring, older brother he really was. He never knew it, and he never will now, but I really fuckin' looked up to that guy..."

Now, Joker placed his ankle on his knee, and he sat back, shrugging his shoulders as he got comfortable, and he turned to look at Kat, instantly making note of the odd emotion portrayed on her face. Slight happiness? Sadness? Sympathy? It was odd to read that kind of emotion in her, but it simply didn't matter. Joker grinned, causing Kat's stomach to drop.

"Then one night," he began slowly, his clowny voice no longer visible. It had been replaced with a raspy and dark tone, the kind of voice Kat recognized he used just before killing someone. She swallowed as a shock ran through her, and she braced herself. "Scott and about, oh... four or five his friends came home, drunk and high as hell. I was seventeen at the time, Scott was twenty-one, and on that _particular _night I _really_ wasn't in the mood to deal with them. Mommy was currently working her second job, and as I threw on my coat in my room to leave I listened as they swarmed the house, laughing and shouting my name."

The images became crystal clear in Joker's mind, and he took a minute to picture himself in his room as he prepared to leave that night. He saw himself in the mirror of his small bedroom, his dirty blonde hair hanging in stringy strands in front of his face as he put on his torn, jean jacket, his unmade bed behind him reflecting in the mirror, his various posters covering the walls of his dimly lit room. His eyes had been dark and glazed with annoyance, and dark, sleepless rings hung beneath his eyes. His lips were chapped, as they always were, but more importantly, his face was soft, and bare of any scars.

He recalled himself throwing open his door and not bothering to close it, and he watched as he wandered through the small, dark hallway. At the end of it, lingering by the opening of the kitchen in the light, he could see two of Scott's friends, Andrew and Jason, snickering as they watched him approach. Joker had easily ignored them, but once he rounded the corner of the hallway to start towards the front door, heading away from his brother's friends, that's when everything turned, and the events that would forever change his life began.

"Just before I could get out of the door they practically _jumped_ me, screaming all sorts of shit, and they dragged me into the bathroom." Joker grinned as he recalled, and he could hear their words perfectly in his head.

"_Hey Scott, why's your wimpy brother always runnin' away from us? We ain't scary!"_

_ "Yeah, we's just tryin' to have a lil' fun."_

_ "And fun, we shall_," Scott had growled as he stared into Joker's somewhat fearful eyes.

Joker hadn't shared the quotes with Kat, and instead he continued. "His friends held me down on the floor, and my weak-ass self couldn't fight them off. His friend's always messed with me like that, but that night I felt like –– I _knew_ something was different. So, I turned to look up to my brother as he stood over me, and just in enough time to watch as he pulled out a _gorgeous, _stainless-steel Cupid blade."

Suddenly Joker reached into the pocket of his pants, and Kat watched as he drew out a black object. She couldn't help but to flinch as Joker flicked open his knife, the same knife, and he glanced at Kat with an evil grin as he wiggled it in front of her face, the light from the TV glistening over the sharp, clean blade. She swallowed the lump that had risen in her throat nervously.

Joker laughed slightly. "You know, granted he _was_ completely out of his mind that night, you know what that bastard did to me, right there in the bathroom?" Joker asked as he raised his eyebrows. He wasn't expecting an answer, and just as Kat started to shake her head he went on. "He put that fucking knife in my mouth, laughing as he did, and did _this_ to my face." Joker pointed at his jagged, left scar, and he ran his tongue over the scar from the inside of his mouth. Kat's breath hitched in her throat as she went completely light-headed, the images her mind had created vibrant, and the room began to spin. Joker was grinning as he nodded, and he looked away from her to stare at the corner of the coffee table.

"I don't know what they thought would happen, but as I lay there, _screaming_, blood just _pouring_ from my face, they freaked out and all ran." He shook his head now as his mind flashed him more images from that night. He recalled holding his hand to his cheek as he tried to deal with the intensity of the pain, and as he sat up from the orange tiled floor he immediately looked up to his brother, who was lingering in the doorway of the bathroom. Scott had looked purely _terrified_, and his bloodshot eyes held a worried expression as he stared at his little brother, his hand completely engulfed in red. Just when Joker had expected him to help, to say something, _anything,_ Scott had turned to run out of the house himself, leaving the front door wide open.

Joker forced himself up from the floor, his foot slipping behind him due to the blood, but he caught himself quickly on the dirty sink, and he straightened his body as best as he could. With a flinch he removed his hand from his cheek as he stared at his reflection in the mirror, and his panicking heart raced as he placed the sleeve from his jacket to the fresh and burning wound as he tried to ignore the blood. Joker recalled himself being in such a haze as he stepped out of the blood stained bathroom, his mind wondering where Scott had gone, why he had done what he had, and what his own, next move would be.

"I left the house myself, and for hours I just wandered around the streets. It was Fall then, and the cool air helped somewhat with the cut, and once it had started to stop bleeding and I started to calm down, I headed back home. Mom was still working, and Scott was asleep on the couch. The bathroom light was still on, and the first thing I saw was that same knife laying on the floor."

Joker paused, and the silence lingered on for moments. Kat continued to stare at Joker, unsure of what to say or do, positive anything would be the wrong thing. So she stayed quiet, both hoping and and not hoping that he would go on with the story.

"I had never felt so much... _anger_, and _pain_ in my entire life. Here, the one and _only_ guy I had ever looked up to had the decency to hurt his brother. I guess you could say that, in a way, I was... somewhat _heartbroken_," Joker mumbled in a deep growl. "_That _night though, that was _it_. It was the re-birth of _me_. I took the knife and went into the living room to wake up Scott, and once that drunk bastard opened his eyes I stabbed him, as hard as I could, in his shoulder. The scream that erupted from that guy was like an addicting drug to me. All I wanted was revenge, to make him feel and go through what I had, but this time I wanted to one up him.

"He ran into the bathroom – I don't know why – and, well... _you _can guess what happened once I uh, joined him."

Kat couldn't find her voice. "Y-you... _killed _him?"

"That I did!" Joker laughed now, his voice louder. "I killed my _own_ brother, and I would do it again if given the chance. I did what he had done to me, and then I murdered him."

Joker nodded as he grinned darkly. He remembered his brother yelling on the floor as he held his hand over his bleeding shoulder, and Joker remembered how easily the blade had sliced through the left corner of Scott's mouth. And as Scott lay on the floor, _crying_ and bleeding, Joker had looked back to himself in the mirror. Faded blood was smeared around the left side of his face and on his jaw, but now that blood wasn't spewing from it, Joker could study his cut more deeply. He leaned in close to the glass as his eyes stared at the red and fresh, jagged cut that started from the corner of his lip and extended back towards the lobe of his ear. He ran his tongue over the mark from the inside of his mouth and tasted blood as more dripped down from the outside of the scar due to the small amount of pressure.

"As I listened to the sweet sound of his suffering, I decided I wasn't going to let Scott get to me anymore, and I most certainly was _not _going to let this scar hinder my life in anyway. That night Scott had helped me discover my _true _myself, and in those few hours I had mentally toughened up more than I ever thought was possible. In my mind, what he had done to my face wasn't a tragedy, but rather a _transition_, and to show him, myself, and the _world_ that, I took the knife and finished the job myself, carving a half smile on the other side of my face. Now, no matter what happened, I'd _always_ be smiling..."

Sure it had hurt and stung, but the intensity of the need for revenge and passion of the moment had drove him to do it, and as he slid the knife through his skin, turning his wrist and knife upward in the shape of a smile, he felt as though it didn't hurt _nearly _as bad as the left side had. As the right side of his face bled, Joker had turned back to his brother. He gripped what would become his most favorite and prized knife in his bloodied hand, and he squatted down by his brother, behind his head, and he peered down to Scott's suffering expression as his older brother looked into Joker's newly found, characteristic, murderous eyes.

"_Rest in peace, Brother_," Joker had said, and without another thought he forced himself to slide the blade slowly and easily over Scott's neck.

He hadn't bothered to stay and listen to Scott gurgle and choke, something he enjoyed _dearly_ now, and instead, after leaving behind a good amount of money he had been saving up in his mother's bedroom for her to use, he left the house to never return. Joker had left this part out, and now he turned to Kat's somewhat horrified expression, and he couldn't help but to grin. He had _never_ told anyone that story, and he had never spoken any of the memories out loud, but now that he had done it, he felt strongly reminded of where he had come from, what had made him what he was today, and at that moment he felt a strong respect for himself. Had it not been for Scott, Joker knew he would not be the man he was today. Because of Scott, Joker had finally been forced to make a change to his life, and no longer the mama's boy and pitiful son who just wanted to _help_, Joker was finally free to lead his own life, and do _only_ what made him happy.

"C'mere," Joker said now, and he held forth his arm, signaling for Kat to scoot over next to him. She did so hesitantly, her breath coming out in shaking spurts, and she couldn't help but to openly shiver as Joker placed his arm around her shoulders. Kat knew Joker to be twisted and ruthless, but yet she still had a hard time believing Joker had so easily killed his own brother, especially since apparently murder and torture had never been a key element in his childhood growing up. "Are you scared?" Joker asked now.

Kat didn't answer, she figured it was obvious. "How was it so easy to do that?" She asked quietly. "I mean..."

"It just was," Joker said with a shrug as he turned back to the TV, knowing what she meant. "He had hurt me, and I wanted to hurt him back. I was sick of having people walk all over me."

Kat took his answer to heart. She stared blankly at the corner of the coffee table as she thought, Joker's body warm against her cold and clammy skin. It had been so easy for Joker to kill his brother, the one person he had assured he had completely, for some reason, admired. So why was it that Joker had no desire to kill Kat? If murdering his brother was considered easy, Kat knew Joker killing her didn't even deserve to be called easy; it would prove to be _much _more simple. But Kat had no idea how wrong she was.

"What happened to your mom?" Kat's voice broke the silence now. "I mean like, what happened after you left?"

"She left," Joker said as he recalled the news segment he remembered watching. "All police discovered was the unattended house and Scott's body on the bathroom floor. Mom split, and it's safe to say she's probably dead now, too." Joker glanced down to Kat, and he watched as she continued to take in deep breaths. "I hate to think about what my life would be like _now_ if Scott hadn't done that to me."

"You're _thanking_ him?" Kat wondered, her eyes slightly widening as she stared into his own eyes.

"Of course," Joker answered. "He gave me that push I needed, Kat." Joker watched as Kat glanced away from him, and for a long moment or two he studied her face, watching as she stared at the floor. "C'mon," he said finally. "Lets go to bed."

Kat felt as though she was in a haze as she went about her bedtime routine. She felt relieved to _finally_ change out of Selina's clothes, and she had never felt so comfortable in her own. But after checking on Murphy and as she nervously followed Joker into his bedroom, the eerie chills Joker's story had brought on continued to run through her and then back again, and she continued to shiver as she crawled into his bed, breathing in that familiar, stale air of his bedroom.

Joker knew it was so uncharacteristic of him to want to be _so_ close to Kat, but as she bravely scooted closer to him, and as he rested his arm comfortably under her neck, he told himself that for now it was okay, and that tomorrow he'd simply go back to normal, or, whatever "normal" was. The week and a half Kat had been gone Joker had never felt so out of sorts, but now, as his bitchy property settled next to him, Joker began to feel more and more comfortable and at ease. He breathed gently from his nose as he closed his eyes, ready for sleep to take over him, but curious Kat had many, many more questions.

"So... where did you go that night?"

"My buddies house," Joker answered evenly. "I stayed in Detroit until I was about twenty, and then moved here that next April."

"When did the face paint and green hair thing start? And the name?" Kat instantly went on, her voice low and tired. Joker took in a deep breath, and Kat could instantly detect his annoyance.

"Don't push it, Kat," Joker warned, his voice raspy and low, but firm. "I'll tell you when you're uh, _older_."

Kat frowned, but she figured if the story about his brother was bad, she could only imagine the things he would tell her about once he adopted his new name and look. She swallowed, fearful that he would share the grim and disgusting details about the news headlines she had once read at the hotel, and she figured that some things were better left unsaid. It was amazing in itself that Joker had even shared with her such a personal story, and she decided that she should just be appreciative of that.

But as she continued to lay with Joker in his dark but somewhat comforting bedroom, her heart beat finally calming down, she felt the need to say something. She wasn't sure why, and she knew she'd never be able to explain the odd feeling Joker's story had given her towards him, but as she turned her head up slightly to glance at him through the dark, she opened her mouth to speak.

"I hit my cousin in the eye with a hard, plastic toy snake once, when I was little. Purposely."

Joker could not help the deep grumble of laughter that escaped from his lips as he pictured this, and with a grin he turned his head to glance down at Kat, and through the dark he could see her looking up at him.

"Really?" He growled. "And why is that, Kitty-Kat?"

"He stole my cupcake," Kat answered, her voice firm as if the issue _still_ upset her, and she faced her head towards the ceiling. "He shoved it in his mouth before I could get to him, and we were only allowed one. My mom wanted me to apologize, but I never did. He deserved it."

Joker laughed again as he turned his head back towards the ceiling, his eyes sliding shut. "Well," he began. "I can assure you the issue between me and my brother went much deeper than a stolen _cupcake_."

A wry grin crept onto Kat's face, despite her best efforts, and for the first time in a _long_ time a small rush of excitement sprang through her upon hearing Joker speak this word. She tried hard not to laugh as she turned her head back up to him. "Say 'cupcake' again," she commanded gently, her voice just above a whisper. From next to her Joker sighed deeply through his nose, but rather than being upset over her command or questioning her sudden childish antics, Joker obeyed.

"Cup_cake_."

Now, Kat couldn't help but giggle, something Joker thought he'd _never_ hear Kat do. To be honest, it was weird and even slightly funny, but Joker found himself in a rather chipper mood, and decided to just let Kat have her fun.

Kat forced the grin from her face as she made herself stop laughing. "Say 'bunny,'" she told him now, hoping to high hell he would say it. There was just something about grown, tough men saying such girlish words that always brought a smile to Kat's face, and she knew it would never change, no matter how old she got or who she was with. She couldn't help but.

Joker opened his eyes to roll them to the back of his head. "_Bunny_."

He felt Kat stiffen beside him as she tried not to laugh again, and even Joker couldn't help but to grin at her random, girlish ways, and as he turned onto his side he figured he would never get to see them. Clearly, he had been wrong.

He pulled Kat closer to him as she turned onto her side, and she fit the curve of her body perfectly against his slightly bent frame, and he couldn't help but to growl as she pressed her ass against him. God how he had _missed _that.

"G'_night_," Joker growled against her ear, his breath warm as it touched her skin. She did not verbally answer, and instead she managed to cuddle even closer to his warm body, her eyes sliding shut as Joker finally comfortably and peacefully closed his own.


	20. Fear Is A Place To Live

With all the events that occurred the few, short weeks after Kat had gotten back to the house, she had constantly expected Joker to lose all patience and revert back to how he had been when she had first been taken by him, seemingly years ago now, but what was peculiar was that he never did.

Her first morning back at the house she had woken to half of an empty bed stretching in front of her, and after stepping onto the landing from Joker's bedroom she had immediately ventured to her room to check on Murphy, trying to ignore the potent stench of coffee from downstairs. As she knew she would, the first she saw, or rather, _smelled, _was the mess Murphy had had no choice but to leave in the corner. But just as Kat had gone to take a step into the room, Murphy had darted off of the bed and zoomed under her legs and downstairs. With a gasp, Kat instantly turned around to chase him down the stairs and into the kitchen, hoping it wasn't too late, but upon reaching the bottom Kat paused cautiously at the arch.

Joker had been sitting at his spot at the table, newspaper in his hand, a coffee mug in the other, and naturally Murphy had chosen to run right up to him. Now, as Kat stepped into the kitchen, Joker was staring down at the gray ball of fuzz, his eyebrow cocked as he watched the cat rub against his leg. Kat sucked in a breath as she prepared from him to grab the kitty and break its neck or throw him across the room, but rather, Joker had glanced up to look at her, the look in his eyes saying it all. Kat quickly stepped forward to grab Murphy, and without another word she had scurried up the stairs, cursing to herself all the while for that near deathly mistake she had allowed to happen.

And that hadn't been the only encounter Joker had with Murphy. After Kat had picked up a few cat supplies, and after she had _sworn_ to Joker that would not happen again, Murphy, once again, escaped with a run from Kat's room, and by sheer dumb luck had run right into Joker's office just as he was opening the door to leave the room. Slightly startled, Joker had turned with disbelieve to watch as Murphy went to hide under the desk, and following right after was Kat stomping her way down the stairs. She paused directly in front of Joker, and she swallowed as she stared up at him. Delicious fear was prominent in her eyes as she stared up at him, but Joker was in no mood to enjoy it. With a roll of his eyes, he shifted his weight to his right as he held open the door for Kat, his silent way of granting her access inside to grab her stupid animal.

"That's strike two, Kitty-Kat," Joker had told her as she stepped back into the hallway, protectively holding the cat in her arms. "I'd _hate _to see what happens after strike three." Joker flashed her a wide, teeth-filled smile, and with her heart racing Kat ran back up the stairs to return Murphy into her room.

As the weeks went on, Kat was quick to re-adjust back to life at the house. It took no time for Rocco and Henshaw to immediately get under her skin, and before Joker knew it, her bratty, storming up the stairs moods were back. But he did nothing to correct this, and instead had to admit to himself that he had _somewhat _missed it. Plus, it _was_ entertaining to watch Kat get so angry, and it was even better to have to call her into his room to 'correct' her attitude.

The day after her arrival back home Joker had easily fallen back into his normal ways with her, as he promised himself he would. It was clear to him that Kat still felt a little uneasy as she continued to adjust, but after the first week or so Joker remembered she had always acted _somewhat _uneasy, and he simply shrugged it off, deciding it best to just enjoy her tiptoe.

Gotham had seemed to completely shut down with the news of their beloved mayor's death. As planned, his slain body had been found in the back of his abandoned limo, deep within an alleyway in downtown Gotham. The city went into an immediate panic as officials scrambled to figure the mystery out. Everybody had their hunches, their _correct _hunches, but there was simply no evidence to prove that Joker had done it, and there were no signs pointing to who had helped him. Hamilton Hill's family, child, dog and all, had been found murdered in their own house, as were a few other members on Hill's team. City officials, or rather, _corrupted _city officials, advised the city that panicking was not the answer, and they urged to start an instant campaign for a new mayor while a replacement was put in place for the time being. Joker had sat watching the news at the house late at night, laughing as his plan unfolded. All of the men who were preparing to set up the campaigns and prepare the city for an immediate election had been in on Joker's plan since day one, which had started years ago. Slowly, Joker had begun to get his own men within the system, much like the way he had with police, and finally the day had come to put his long awaited plans into action.

Now, after a rigorous, quick and to the point campaigns, on the night that the new elected mayor would be announced, Joker had been in his office, making a few necessary calls, all while Kat had been in the kitchen, involuntarily doing the dishes. Rocco and Henshaw sat in their spots at the table, each sharing parts of the newspaper while they talked amongst themselves. And as always, their topic of choice was none other than Kat's return, as it had been the over the last few weeks.

"Did it make you upset to see your friend _die_?" Rocco laughed as he glared at the back of Kat's head. "You just wait, soon it'll be that fuckin' cat you had to bring home."

Kat's lips thinned as she took a deep breath in through her nose, and she continued with hand washing the dishes, her hands a wet, slippery and soapy mess. Behind her the twins continued to laugh, until Rocco's laughter started to quiet down.

"But seriously," he began. "You shoulda' just _stayed_ there. Fuckin' Bozo... what an idiot..."

"Shut up," Kat finally spoke up, her tone heavily laced with annoyance, and Rocco grinned as he looked over to his snickering brother.

"What's the matter, Kat?" Henshaw spoke up in a false, saddened tone. "Are we annoying you?"

"Good," Rocco interrupted, for he already knew the answer to his brother's question. "Maybe you'll finally leave for good. You have no fuckin' purpose here."

"What about the Joker?" Henshaw asked his brother in all seriousness. "He seems to-"

"It's all a joke," Rocco interrupted again. "He'll kill her soon. You hear that, Kat? You're as good as dead. You _always _have been. He's just torturing you. You wait, he'll get you when you least expect it, I _know _it."

Ignoring them was getting harder and harder. Kat continued to breathe in and out deeply as she wondered what was making them randomly go on and on about this, more so than usual. A part of her believed them, but another part knew, or at least wanted to believe that they were lying. But as she neared the final dishes to be cleaned, the clean stack on the other side of the sink growing larger and larger, Rocco and Henshaw had started to laugh at something again. But this time the laughter was harder, Kat had not heard what they had said to start it, but now, mixed in with their wheezing, Rocco tried to speak, only to fall into a fit of hard laughter again. Kat's blood was boiling, the annoying noise was going in through her ears and straight to her brain and rattling it to the point where she couldn't take it anymore. She was sick of their taunting, she was sick of _them_, and at that moment she was sick of their laughter.

"_Shut up!_" Kat picked up the closest object to her, a dirty coffee mug, and she spun around on her heel to throw the mug as hard as she could towards Rocco's head. His eyes widening, he quickly leaned to the side, and the noise of the mug shattering against the wall behind him echoed all throughout the house. Her fists clenched, her blood running hot, Kat tried to control her anger, but it was proving useless. Rocco and Henshaw were staring at her in disbelief, and once Kat had turned to storm out of the kitchen she paused suddenly with a gasp, and she stared at Joker, who stood leaning in the arch.

He had seen the entire thing, and now with a slight grin he leaned away from the wall to clap his bare hands slowly. "Bravo," he said sarcastically as he let his hands drop to his sides. "You two _really_ set her off this time." He looked to Kat, enjoying the look of fear on her face, and he stepped closer to her. "Kat, dear, we _really _need to work on that temper. And Rocco? Henshaw? I suggest you two _grow up_, for next time it might not be a _cup_ that she throws at you. Are we all _clear_?"

"Yes, boss," Rocco answered once Joker had turned to him, but Kat said nothing once Joker looked over at her. He reached out to gently take hold of her arm, and he made her step ahead of him before he began to lead her out of the kitchen.

"Clean that up," he told the brothers simply before he and Kat exited the kitchen, and he lead her into the living room. He sat down in his normal spot, and he nodded next to him, waiting for Kat to do the same. Finally, she slowly lowered herself down, and she nervously looked to the TV once Joker turned it on.

"What's going on?" She asked.

"We, Kitty-Kat," Joker began as he easily started to forget about the fiasco in the kitchen, "are going to witness the results of the election."

"Already?" Kat questioned. "But it's only been a couple of weeks."

"As planned, Kat," Joker told her cheerfully, and as his way of telling her to be quiet he lifted the remote up and notched up the volume. "Now, watch." He nodded towards the TV, and Kat finally glanced over to it, just in enough time to watch as Gotham's new mayor, Conrad Gibbins, stepped up to the podium. Under the harsh lights his wrinkles seemed more intense, and Mr. Gibbins's facial expression clearly expressed he most certainly did _not _want to be there. But regardless, he had a job to do, his life depended on it, and finally he cleared his throat.

"I would like to address all my fellow Gotham citizens, not only those in this room, but those who... voted for me... those who did not, and those who chose not to partake in this hectic election." The new mayor cleared his throat and looked down, a saddened expression on his face, but he forced himself to face the crowd again and go on.

"I have lived here my whole life," he went on, his old voice shaking. "My goal during this campaign, and my goal that will continue from here on out, is to simply clean this city up. Cleanse it of crime, cleanse it of evil, and cleanse it of corruption. I want to see this proud city stand tall again, and I want to show the world how awesome Gotham City really is." Conrad took a deep breath as he glanced down again to his speech cards, and he cleared his throat again as he placed his hands onto the podium, his mouth hanging open slightly as he paused, as if in thought.

"Good touch," Joker commented quietly as he nodded his head slightly. Kat's eyebrows met in the middle as she glanced over to him, but once she realized how intently Joker's eyes were glued to the television, she glanced back over to it just as Conrad started to speak again.

"During this catastrophe that was dear, Hamilton Hill's and his family's death, rest their souls, I learned a few things about the citizens of this city. I learned how compassionate we are. I learned how devoted we all are. And most importantly, thanks to your votes, I learned that we have the greatest will power that any city has ever seen. And I promise, Gotham, I will represent all three of those great aspects-"

"Oh, _yeah_," Joker laughed slightly. "Compassionate, devoted, and full of _will_. That _definitely _describes us!" He lifted his fist into the air with false enthusiasm.

Kat detected a large amount of sarcasm in his voice as he spoke over the mayor, but she did not look over to him this time, and instead focused on the TV herself.

"I have lived during this tragedy. I remained strong during this campaign, to show Gotham that this can be done, and throughout all the chaos, I know what _must_ be done to pull our city out of this terrible, emotional depression. And that's what my administration will be about. We are going to pull Gotham out of this mess, and we are going to cleanse the city of corruption. We are going to come back more compassionate, devoted, and stronger than ever. Thank you."

As Conrad stepped away from the podium the audience began to clap, and Kat glanced over to Joker once he started to clap stupidly as well.

"Beautiful," he said. "Short, but _very _touching. Don't you think, Kat?" He glanced over to her, his eyebrows raised, but he didn't give her a chance to answer, and instead he reached out to grab her arm, and he gently but forcibly pulled her closer to him, and once her body touched his, he placed his arm around her shoulders and looked back to the TV with a grin. "Gotham has _no_ idea what's about to come its way," he added darkly.

Kat swallowed as she turned her head to glance up at him. "So, what happens now?"

"Now?" Joker repeated, and he glanced to Kat, grinning still, and he leaned in to leave a simple, short kiss on her lips. "Now we watch this city burn."

**Well lovies, this does, im sorry to say, mark the end of this story, but as always from me, you can expect a sequel sometime in the future :)  
>And for those of you interested, I will be working on the 3rd installment of Willow Fox's series, titled 'Living After Midnight'. You can look for it after New Years!<br>Merry Christmas, and thank you for reading this story! :)**


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